A New World, A New Life
by TheSpaminator92
Summary: A young woman, almost in grad school, gets dumped in Middle Earth because of the Valar, though she doesn't know why. She travels with the Company of Thorin Oakenshield, haunted nightly by gruesome visions of the fate she knows will befall them, forced to come to grips with changes in herself and those her heart demands she cause to save all the dwarves she has come to love so.
1. Chapter 1

All right, 'ello, 'ello, 'ello, I am TheSpaminator92 and I will be your host for the duration of this crazy ride through Middle Earth. This is my very first chapter of my very first story, that I hope will be the first of a long epic.

Warnings: there will be graphic battle descriptions, cursing, crude humor, huge amounts of sarcasm, eventual sexual situations, eventual malexmale and straight relationships, discussions of religion and culture, and probably a few things that I am forgetting, just know this will be a very mature fanfic and if that isn't your thing, maybe give it a go, or not, up to you. Reviews will be appreciated, especially if constructive, haters gonna hate just know if you are being over the top I will block you and report you cause I am not taking your crap.

Disclaimers: All original characters belong to me, the rest belong to the great and amazing Tolkien, and who ever else owns the stuff I will likely be referencing in this fic, like Disney, Warner brothers, Bethesda Softworks, and various singers and songwriters. If you disagree with anything I write, please respect my right to have my own opinions and I will respect your right to disagree with me.

Now, on with the adventure! (btw, sorry if the beginning is a little slow, it gets better as I get into the meat of the story)

She felt disoriented, dizzy, with a pounding headache like she was on a tilt-o-whirl with a hangover. She sat up, though she didn't remember laying down, and put a hand to her head, trying to soothe the ache behind her eyes and get her bearings. Her eyes opened to a landscape she didn't recognize, rolling hills of green, green grass, blue skies as far as the eye could see, and a river...that was what made her realize she was no where near home anymore.

Gone were the tumble weeds, dry grass, and clay soil she was accustomed to, no longer surrounded by the mountains and foothills of the valley she was raised in, but a place greener and more alive with nature than any she had ever seen, though it honestly reminded her of the scenery from the Lord of the Rings movies.

Then Gandalf walked into her field of vision, and she wondered if she was indeed in Middle Earth, then the wizard started talking to her.

/Blunt the Knives/

"Young lady, are you quite alright? Does your head pain you?" The wizard motioned to the hand she held to her head with his staff as he made his way up to her from the base of the hill she was laying on.

"No, I'm good." She put her raised hand in her lap and squinted up at his face beneath his hat, and was surprised to find, though he did greatly resemble the actor from the movies, he did not look exactly like him. This Gandalf looks a little less wrinkly, his hair and beard more neat, and his eyes are bright with mischief, and knowing. That knowing look bothers her, makes her feel like she is about to have something blow up in her face and it will be all this man's fault.

"That is good to hear, I was worried your journey here would cause you a little more disorientation." He held out his hand, which she gratefully took because she was still a bit dizzy, but paused, because the sleeve that covered her arm did not belong to any shirt she owned. She looked down and discovered she was dressed in clothes not her own, clothes that looked like they belonged in a renaissance fair.

She was dressed in black pants made of thick cloth, knee high leather boots, a light blue tunic with embroidery around the neck and cuffs, a leather jerkin, gauntlets, and fingerless gloves that were all reinforced with more leather and some steel. Her new ensemble was finished off with a coat of darker blue than her tunic, that went to her mid calf, held in place by a thick leather belt and an ornate buckle. Oddly enough, all of these clothes had one unifying theme, a pattern that looked to be a combination of Greek key and Celtic knots appeared as the detail on all of the borders, cuffs, and buckles of each garment.

After taking all of this in, she allowed Gandalf to help her up, but then she remembered what he had just said, and asked,"Wait, my journey? You brought me here?" Looking around she added, "Where is here anyway?"

Instead of answering her question Gandalf asked, "What is the last thing you remember before waking on this hill?"

Giving him an annoyed look for trying to change the subject, she crossed her arms across her chest, cocked a hip and thought about it. "The last thing I remember is walking home from work." She paused, taking on a disgruntled look," I heard a noise, turned around...and everything went black...What happened to me?" She looked up at Gandalf, looking for answers.

Gandalf's face softened and he finally answered her question," You are in Middle Earth and the Valar brought you here. Why, I am not entirely sure, but I do know that you are meant to come along on a journey that is about to commence, and that you are not meant to ever return to the place you once called home. So come along Miss...um, pardon me, but I do not believe I asked you your name? I am Gandalf the Grey, by the way." He looked down at her now stunned, and slightly dismayed, face with sympathy in his eyes, sympathy that did nothing to quell the growing storm in her heart and mind, cue crap blowing up in her face.

"My name? Uh, my name is Samantha Clen, but most people call me Sam. Now what do you mean, I am not meant to go home? Why? What journey? What am I even meant to do?" She looked up at him, looking for some reason to believe this was just an odd dream, and that a wizard that is supposed to be a fictional character in a book did not just tell her that she would never go home again, and that the gods of this world had something planned for her, but he just shook his head at her and started walking down the hill towards a dirt road she had failed to notice previously.

Sam was walking quickly after him and was going to repeat her question, when he turned around and called," Miss Sam, please do not forget your things, it would be most disadvantageous if you did not have them on our journey."

"My things, what things?" She turned around to see if she could find what he was talking about and spotted, to her surprise, a fully stuffed pack, a bow and quiver, a collection of knives of varying lengths, and two curved swords, all with the same pattern as her clothing on them to boot. The weapons threw her for a bit of a loop (because the most dangerous thing she had ever held was a cleaver), but she just shrugged and picked it all up, sprinting to catch up with the wizard, who had somehow gotten a ways up the road in the amount of time she had been turned around.

Sam ran up beside him and was about to start questioning him again, when she noticed just where they were walking. It was Hobbiton. She was actually in Hobbiton, and there were actual Hobbits! She momentarily started geeking out at everything, turning around, walking backwards, just trying to soak it all in and get a gander at everything, then she noticed just how much attention she was getting, returned some stares (which promptly causes those staring to startle and turn away), then turned around and tried to act inconspicuous. It was just like her trip to China, everyone was staring at her because she stuck out like a sore thumb, but this time it was because of her height (all imposing 5ft 4' of her) rather than the fact that she was obviously Caucasian.

So she followed Gandalf, figuring she would corner him later and ask all the questions she was currently keeping to herself. Soon they arrived at a hobbit hole with a hobbit sitting on a bench in front of the door smoking. Sam was struck by just how small hobbits actually are; this hobbit couldn't be much more than three and a half feet tall. Then Gandalf started talking to him, and the hobbit suddenly had a very familiar name, Bilbo Baggins. He was definitely rounder than the actor from the movies, looked a little older, but otherwise very much resembled him. He was dressed in a rich burgundy waistcoat, dark brown trousers, and a white shirt, the copious amounts of hair on his feet and legs was a dark drown color and looked to be neatly groomed. It was at this point she realized the adventure Gandalf had been referring to was, in fact, the quest to reclaim Erebor. Sam figured that she was meant to do something with this quest, a thought that quelled some of her inner panic at the situation and not having a damn clue what to do, even if she had the barest of inklings.

Bilbo and Gandalf's conversation proceeded much as it had in the movie with few deviations...Until Gandalf brought her into the conversation.

"Now Bilbo, are you so opposed to an adventure that you would not at least allow this young lady, with nowhere to stay, to wait in your smial until the other travelers arrive?"

Bilbo was, of course, a very proper and respectable hobbit, and, as such, could not turn away a young woman in need, no matter how unwilling he, and the young woman in question, happen to be. The fact that she was a Big Person made him a bit nervous, but watching her glare at Gandalf for his (predictable) pushiness and then give him a shy, but bright, smile made him a bit more comfortable with the idea. "Of course not! I do not mind giving a traveler a place to rest, so long as she is not opposed to the idea?" He glanced at her, she shook her head as Gandalf answered for her,"No, she is not."

"Well then, Miss..uh. I'm sorry I didn't catch your name?"

"My name is Samantha Clen, Master Baggins, but you can call me Sam. Thank you so much for your hospitality and willingness to allow me into your home." Bilbo was pleasantly surprised by her polite response and, at Gandalf's meaningful look, ushered her inside of his home.

/Bend the Forks/

Bag End was, in a word, amazing. The movies just did not do it justice. Everything was made of polished, weathered wood that was well cared for and reminded Sam of woodwork found in old European churches. The floors were covered in richly colored rugs that made Bag End all the more homey. The halls were full of furnishings that would be any antique lovers dream (she should know, she had been dragged to antique stores by her parents since she was old enough to walk). Sam only had a few moments to, once again, geek out when Bilbo asked her," Would you care for something to eat Miss Sam? I do believe it is about time for elevensies." She smiled, suddenly recalling just how much, and often, hobbits ate.

"That would be too kind of you Master Baggins."

"Oh, no, not at all. And you may call me Bilbo, Miss Sam. As you will be staying in my home until your companions arrive in the Shire, we need not be too formal, I should think." He lead her down a hall to the dining room, where he motioned for her to sit. He returned with a tray laden with food, and they both began to eat. She hoped he would enjoy this pre-lunch, because, given their fast approaching adventure, this would be the last large meal he would have for a while. While they ate she began to wonder how exactly she, or Gandalf for that matter, was supposed to convince Thorin Oakenshield, grumpiest and most suspicious of all dwarves, to take a young, human woman on a quest to reclaim an ancient dwarven kingdom, not to mention kill a damn DRAGON, with him and his companions.

/Smash the Baubles/

Sam knew what was coming, so when evening descended upon the Shire, she grew nervous. She had settled on assuming that Gandalf had something up his sleeve, because she honestly had no idea how she would convince his royal grumpiness to allow her to go on their quest, since that was apparently what she was supposed to do and she had no where else to go. Not wanting to dwell on that train of thought, she was glad when the first knock on the door finally arrived.

Bilbo looked at her questioningly, to which Sam only shrugged, and got up, beginning to grumble about unexpected visitors and crazy wizards. She followed Bilbo down the hall to the door, after abandoning the meal that she knew would soon be eaten by someone else, and stood waiting in the round doorway just to the left of the entryway, so she could watch everything.

/Burn the Corks/

"Dwalin, at your service."

When Dwalin walked into the hobbit's home he took note of the expert wood and stone work, of the fine things he both had no use or appreciation for (like pottery and china), and he took note of the hobbit himself. He was a small, little thing, looking up at him with big, blue eyes, the eyes of a creature that had not known the hardships or the horrors of the world as he had known them and was thus as soft as a down pillow, especially around the middle from the look of him. Dwalin was not an unkind dwarf, rather the opposite if you earned his respect and friendship, but life had taught him to be wary, and thus he was suspicious.

"Where is the food? The wizard said there would be good food and lots of it." The little hobbit, Bilbo Baggins he remembered, looked a little put out, yet motioned for him to follow him all the same, but came up short when they both saw a young, human woman.

"My apologies, Miss Sam, I had forgotten you were there for a moment. Master Dwalin, this is Miss Sam, a house guest of mine for the time being. Miss Sam, this is Master Dwalin."

Dwalin bowed to the lady, though he did not know what to make of her. She was only about four or so inches taller than himself, had brown hair that went just below her shoulders, eyes that appeared to be a grayish green, high cheek bones, small ears, and seemed to be both broad of shoulder and of hip. Her lack of height and broad build was unusual for a human, especially a woman, in his experience, but she gave him a shy and friendly smile with only kind curiosity in her eyes, rather than the outright disdain and arrogance that he was familiar with in much of her kind, as she returned his bow and said, "Hello, Master Dwalin. It is nice to meet you, and, please, Bilbo and Master Dwalin, just call me Sam, the Miss is entirely to formal for a gal like me."

He raised an eyebrow at this, while Bilbo only nodded his head. She raised an eyebrow back at him, her smile turning to a grin. He couldn't help but smile back, finding that he was already beginning to like this polite, grinning woman, despite what experience had taught him about humans, and his better judgement, and said,"As you wish, Sam." He did not know why he had taken an instant liking to her, when he seldom did anyone, but his gut was telling him she was alright. After bowing her head to him in appreciation of his respect of her request, she turned and started following their mutual host in his trek towards the kitchen where Dwalin spotted the two cooked trout and biscuits, and promptly took a seat at the table. With a nod and a mumbled,"Help yourself, please." from the hobbit he dug in with relish, oblivious to the bemused look of the woman and the disgusted look of the hobbit.

Some time later, after he had scarfed down all of the food on the table and had moved to scavenging things from various jars, his brother arrived. Balin was treated to much the same bewildered introduction with the hobbit and he seemed to be as bemused and confused by the presence of the woman as he was, but the confused expression left his face when he spotted his brother. Dwalin sauntered up to Balin with a grin on his face and clapped both of his hands on his shoulders as he said, "Hello brother, you look wider and shorter than when last we met."

"Wider, not shorter, but sharp enough for both of us, hm?" Balin smiled up at his little brother and they promptly smacked their foreheads together, as Bilbo stomped off to put on some proper clothes while Sam took a seat by the door, occasionally sneaking looks at the two.

Those looks prompted Dwalin to ask, quietly,"What do ya' make o' the lass? She does na' seem ta be a threat, and does na' treat us, or the hobbit for tha' matter, as other humans are wan' ta do, but her presence here, on the eve of the beginning of our quest, is most suspicious, I should think."

Balin nodded his head in agreement and replied,"I agree, her presence here is rather suspicious, but she seems only curious of us, and I get the feeling she means us no harm. All the same, a human in the Shire in and of itself is an odd occurrence, one lodging in the same house as we, at the same time, is even more of an oddity, so we best keep an eye on her until we know a bit more."

During their conversation they had wondered into the pantry, going through the food and getting some ale. Balin picked up a wedge of cheese and looked at it curiously, grimacing,"This cheese has gone bleu, why does he still have it in here?"

"He still has it in here because it's supposed to look like that, it's just a kind of aged cheese."

Balin and Dwalin startled at the interjection, and turned around to find the young woman, Sam, leaning on the doorway of the pantry, smiling with her arms crossed, and a raised eyebrow. She added,"It's actually called bleu cheese, as a matter of fact."

The sons of Fundin looked at each other, then back at her.

"Really now? Then how do you suggest we eat it then?" Dwalin posed his question with one hand on his hip, the other tightly grasping a mug of ale, then turned back toward the food. Balin simply shook his head and replaced the cheese back on it's plate.

"Well, it's good on a salad, or eaten with walnuts and honey on a cracker, though it could be eaten in a variety of ways." At the mention of a salad both dwarves shuddered simultaneously, after which they heard a girlish giggle and a not so girlish snort. They both turned around again to find Sam with her eyes wide, turning red with a hand over her mouth, and found they could not help but chuckle at her. She smiled and chuckled herself, then turned around at the sound of Bilbo saying,"I'm sorry."

Apparently the three of them had missed his rant, so Balin simply replied,"Apology accepted." and went back to the food. Sam just rolled her eyes in commiseration with Bilbo and turned back to the dwarves, about to give them some more commentary on the food, when another knock sounded at the door.

/Chip the Glasses/

Fili laughed at his brothers's blatant mispronunciation of their host's name as he handed said (bewildered and annoyed) host all of his newly sharpened knives while Kili scraped the mud off of his boots on something called a glory box. Fili turned around when he heard his brother fondly say," Mister Dwalin." and saw said dwarf clap his little brother on the shoulder, while Balin gave him a smile a little ways further past the doorway of the kitchen they were standing in.

Balin bid both of the young dwarves help move all of the cabinetry out of the hobbit's dinning room, as it was a little too crowded at the moment to fit all of their party.

"Here, let me give you a hand." Needless to say that Fili and Kili were not expecting a human woman to offer them help with moving the furniture. At their bewildered expressions she continued,"Hello, I am Sam. I am also a guest of Bilbo's. I don't think he will quite like you moving his furniture, so why don't I help you move it so that nothing gets damaged, hm? Then maybe you two can tell me your names?" They nodded dumbly as Balin chuckled at their expressions and were surprised to find that she was more than capable of helping them move the cabinets without much fuss.

/Crack the Plates/

Kili was not sure what to make of the woman as she straightened after having hunched over to move the cabinets. She had a friendly enough demeanor and was dressed much as any traveler would be, though her clothing had a unique design as the detail. She looked at he and his brother with a crooked grin and slightly amused look, and seemed to be waiting for something. Then he remembered, introductions were in order.

"Hello, Sam. I am Kili,-"

"And I am Fili,-"

"-son of Dis, at your service." They bowed simultaneously, which made her giggle. Both brothers were pleased by this response to their introduction, as it meant this woman found them pleasant rather than annoying and childish like most women accused them of being.

"Hello, Fili and Kili, sons of Dis. It is a pleasure to meet you." She gave them a little curtsy.

Their introductions were left at that, as Balin called them to help move more of the furniture. Kili looked back over his shoulder at Sam, just as he was about to pass into the dining room again. Their eyes met, they both grinned, and he felt something in his chest. As he walked behind his brother, Kili had the distinct impression he had just met someone who would be a dear friend for the rest of his life, and by the look Fili gave him as they bent to lift another cabinet, he had the same feeling. He did not know why Sam was in Bag End this night, but he knew she would be leaving with them come morning, he was sure of it.

/That's What Bilbo Baggins Hates!/

The youngest members of the Company were just as charming, sweet, and mischievous as she had thought they would be, and she was pleased to find that they did not seem to share the suspicions that the older dwarves did. The strange feeling she had had, which she suspected the brothers had shared in with her if their more-honest-than-for-show smiles they had sent her way when they moved another cabinet were anything to go by, told her that if she were to have any allies in her attempts to convince their uncle to let her come with them, it would be those two, and Gandalf of course, though she might have unlikely allies in Balin and Dwalin, as slim as the chances were. Sam also had the feeling that those two mischievous dwarves would be her constant companions, and sources of amusement, for the rest of the journey.

She turned around when she heard the third and final knock at the door. The avalanche of dwarves that fell in the door was a sight to see. Their exasperated and annoyed grumbling was also rather entertaining.

"Oi! Get yer elbow out of mi back!"

"Bombur, get off! I can't breath!"

"Whose hand is on my ass?! I'll cut yer hand off!"

"What did ye say?"

They disentangled from each other and slowly got off the floor, making the way for Gandalf, who simply smirked at the disgruntled hobbit, and nodded in acknowledgment at Sam.

As Bilbo started arguing with Gandalf about the presence of so many dwarves in his smial, said dwarves got up and headed for the pantry, none seemingly realizing they were being watched by an incredibly amused human who took note of them and their antics.

They immediately started raiding the pantry for food and the kitchen for utensils and plates. She spied Bofur taking a bite of a biscuit then putting it back on the plate, as he wiped another plate he had just taken from a stack with his mitten, and this was after he had brought food into the dining room, one plate in each hand and one precariously balanced on his hat. Bombur and Bifur were placing food on the table, Bifur grunting in what could have only been Khuzdul, making hand motions in Iglishmek as his cousins nodded. Gloin was talking into Oin's ear trumpet as they both picked up plates of meat from the pantry. Dori was in the kitchen making tea while Nori grabbed some loaves of bread and Ori helped Bofur set the table.

She watched as they all sat down while Bilbo sputtered and Gandalf puffed on his pipe in his seat. Balin and Dwalin seemed to have forgotten she was there as they puttered around with their fellow dwarves and took their seats. Only Fili and Kili seemed to remember she was there as Kili handed her some food on a plate, knowing the food on the table would soon be gone (after a considerable amount had been thrown around and devoured by a band of very hungry dwarves) and not wanting to be inconsiderate of the lady, while Fili handed her an ale as they gave her matching, charming grins before joining their kin. Fili hopped on the table and walked the length, handing out ale as he went, whereas Kili had meandered through the kitchen to get to his seat. Sam sat down in a chair to eat her food and drink her pleasantly bitter ale, as she continued to watch them all, wondering how different dwarven manners were from hobbits and humans, and she couldn't help but think how her mother would have killed her dead if she had even thought of doing half the crap these jokers were doing now.

When they were all done eating, Kili winked at her as he went into the kitchen, just before the still oblivious to her presence Ori had his plate taken by the impishly grinning Fili, who also winked at her just as he spotted his brother standing with his pipe by the kitchen door. The brothers of the line of Durin started tossing the plates and other dishes as Bofur started the song she remembered so well from the movie. He really was an exceptional singer, and the music she soon heard was on key with nary a flat or sharp note. She watched as Bifur washed all the dishes at record speed, after catching everything thrown at him without looking, as the rest of the dwarves made a show (except for the apparently exasperated Balin) of tossing everything around, trying to give Bilbo a heart attack. Fili and Kili, she got the feeling, were being more dramatic for her benefit, as they both kept glancing her way as they did daring stunts with the pottery. She heard the lot of them laughing in the kitchen as she swiped at the smoke left in the hallway by their pipes, when the final knock sounded at the door.

/Cut the Cloth/

Thorin walked into the hobbit's home, annoyed with his own lack of direction and Gandalf's convoluted directions through the maze that was the Shire, then became more annoyed when he saw the hobbit himself. He was a small, round thing, with hairy feet, there was nothing else noteworthy about him in Thorin's eyes. He did not understand why Gandalf wanted this pathetic creature for their burglar. He expressed as much when he called him a grocer.

Sam watched him from around the doorjamb of the adjacent room, right in front of the door to the kitchen. She was sorely tempted to tell Thorin off for being so damn rude to someone who was doing him a kindness, but she refrained from revealing herself to the rest of them just yet, she did not want Thorin to have time to brood over why a human, let alone a woman, would be there, nor did she want to allow him to get angry for Gandalf's meddling. She figured her best bet, after ruminating on her previous, almost non-existent, plan, besides Gandalf and the goofy brothers, would be to take Thorin by surprise and wiggle her way into the company through that opening, otherwise, she figured he would definitely say no or, more likely, a resounding HELL NO!

He walked into the dining room and sat down while Dori grabbed him some soup and an ale before retaking his seat. As the dwarves started their discussion of Dain and how it would just be the lot of them retaking the mountain, as well as the nonsense about Gandalf killing lots of dragons, those silly boys, Bilbo came up behind them to listen and she stood just to the side of the doorway, both to avoid being seen and to avoid the smoke from Gandalf and Bilbo's pipes. Sometimes having asthma was a pain in the ass.

She listened until they started discussing the map, then she appeared at Bilbo's side because he motioned her over, likely at a sign from Gandalf. The dwarves that had been paying attention to what was going on around them stared at her for a moment before their attention was drawn back to the map. Kili and Fili smiled at her, while Dwalin and Balin simply glanced at her. At Bilbo's comment about needing an expert burglar, Thorin turned to glance at him, but then his eyes landed on her and stayed there. He looked at her with a combination of bafflement and surprise, the expression soon morphing into one of surprised anger. Gandalf took this as his cue for an introduction.

"I see you have finally noticed our lady guest. This is Miss Samantha Clen, she has been brought here from a land far away from here to aide you on your quest and I urge you to accept her into your company."

Thorin narrowed his eyes as his gaze slid between the woman and the wizard. Bilbo looked utterly bewildered and most of the dwarves looked surprised by this turn of events, while Fili and Kili looked pleased and exited. Dwalin and Balin glanced at each other, then looked at Sam, and gave her an appraising look. Her presence now made sense to them, but they did not know if she would be an asset to their quest by way of fighting prowess or anything of that nature, Balin, however, appreciated the fact that she was a human and she did not appear to harbor any ill intent or will towards dwarves meant that she could be an asset when they had to deal with other humans, or elves even, because they would not treat her as they treated dwarves, something they could use to their advantage. As Balin pondered these possibilities, Dwalin was considering whether or not she would be a burden to protect or train, as well as if she could bring any intellect to the company, because Balin was correct in his assessment of the Company's lack of thinkers and planners, but he did not know enough about her to tell whether she could help them in that manner or not.

Thorin finally broke the tense silence," And what, pray tell Gandalf, could this woman possibly do for us? And how do we know we can trust her?"

Before Sam could speak for herself Gandalf answered for her," Why, she could provide many things, such as a woman's intuition and insight from another's perspective when making plans or when things go awry, and, trust me, as least one thing will go awry with you lot involved." He gave the dwarves a meaningful look.

While Dwalin conceded that having someone along who looked at things differently than they would all be want to do could be an asset, but he took issue with the other half of the statement and made it known, before Thorin could get another word in.

"And why would a woman's intuition be so much better tha' a male's, eh? Meaning no offense ta Sam, bu' wha' advantage could a woman's mind possibly have over a male's tha' would make 'er an asset on our quest?"

Ignoring Thorin's cocked eyebrow at the way his old friend had addressed her, because he had never known Dwalin to drop a Miss or Madam from a lady's name except at their own request or when he was particularly agitated. Sam spoke before Gandalf had the chance to cut her off.

"The advantage that a woman's mind has over a man's, Master Dwalin, lies in the fact that our minds are not divided between two heads." She said all of this with a devilish grin, a level look, and an eyebrow cocked so high it almost met her hairline, as she looked at Dwalin.

Bilbo and Dori looked aghast at her statement, going red in the face, while Gandalf only chuckled heartily at her pluck.

All of the dwarves, Thorin, included, simply stared at her for a few seconds, completely surprised by the clever, if a little crude, answer, the blunt way she had delivered it, and her decidedly smug expression. Then, Thorin not included, they all burst out laughing. Bofur was whacking the table with his hand as he doubled over cackling, deciding her rather liked this young lady and her sense of humor, Bifur just grinned and nodded at her, Bombur held his stomach as he laughed, Nori fell out of the chair he had been leaning backwards in he was laughing so hard, and Ori was trying to manage his giggles, and his blush, lest Dori be cross with him for laughing at the crass humor of her statement. Gloin and Oin were chuckling to themselves, their chuckles tapering off only to be renewed. Fili and Kili were just cackling, leaning on each other as they lost their balance in their mirth, giving Sam a thumbs up as they continued to laugh. Balin chuckled, terribly amused by her response because it sounded incredibly similar to what Thorin's sister, Dis, might say if posed the same question, and Dwalin, he was roaring with laughter, doubled over using the table for support. Why was he not surprised that this young woman had a sharp tongue? It seemed to suit her.

Dwalin finally managed to speak through his laughter,"Aye, lass, aye, tha' is true. Sometimes males are indeed prone ta na' listenin' ta the head between their shoulders, in favor o' the other, especially where a pretty woman is concerned. I do believe a min' like yours might be to our benefit ta have along if'n ya' make a habit o' bein' tha' clever in all things."

Balin nodded in agreement to his brother's statement," Indeed, she might be an asset for that reason, and also for dealing with men, or elves for that matter, who might be more likely to lend us aide or sell us supplies if she is part of our party, even more so given the fact that she has no ill will towards dwarves, unlike so many of her kin."

Thorin gave Balin a questioning look,"And how do you know she bears dwarves no ill will? Her presence here does not mean she is our friend."

Balin returned the look with a sheepish grin,"Well, Thorin, I know because I spoke with her before you got here, as did Dwalin, Fili, and Kili." Thorin was still looking at him questioningly, so he continued,"She was here before all of us, now I know it was because of Gandalf, and I say she does not bear us ill will because she was polite and helpful to us, helping move furniture out of this room so we could all sit in here, and before that we had a rather friendly conversation about some of the food in the pantry that Dwalin nor I recognized, bleu cheese as I recall."

Ignoring the tidbit about cheese, Thorin asked, "And why did you, none of you," he glared at his nephews and Dwalin," mention she was here? It appears from the faces of others at the table they had not realized her presence either."

"Well, to be perfectly honest Thorin, I forgot she was here in all of the hubbub. The last I remember seeing her," he nodded at Sam, who gave him a grateful smile for his support and compliments," was when she helped Fili and Kili move one of Master Baggins' cabinets."

"Aye, that was the las' I saw o' 'er as well," Dwalin added," an' Balin's righ', Thorin. When I ga' here she was friendly an' respectful, na' a' all as rude as a la' o' humans are ta dwarves," Sam was frowning at this description, as though the idea of other humans treating the dwarves badly distressed her, which indeed it did, as she had ever been someone who disliked it when people were treated badly for being different. Given that she had only ever belonged among people who were different from her made it an even more troubling thought to her, because she was rather familiar with how cruel people could be when they wanted to be," She even allowed me ta eat wha' I now realize was 'er, an' Master Baggins, dinner with nothing bu' a please help yourself, for which I apologize," He nodded to the affected parties. "She was even so kind as ta give me an ale while I ate."

"I did that partially because I was worried you would choke, you were scarfing down the food so fast." Sam was smiling at the younger son of Fundin as she had his brother, a smile he returned, in his own way, his grin ended up being more of a lopsided smirk and partially hidden by his bushy beard, while the other dwarves chuckled at her comment, most deciding that they rather liked her and her wit.

Thorin scowled, he did not know how this woman had managed to charm two of his oldest friends, friends who were usually as skeptical of other races as he was, enough to garner their support for her to join their company, but he still had two others to question.

He looked to his nephews at the end of the table," And what do you two say about Miss Clen?"

"Please, just call me Sam. Calling me miss anything just doesn't suit me at all."

He ignored the woman's interjection, looking pointedly at his nephews, who fidgeted slightly under his gaze.

"We agree with Dwalin and Balin, Uncle." Fili looked at his uncle as Kili began to speak.

"Yes, she is very nice and helpful, Uncle. Sam doesn't act at all like most humans, and I can honestly say we both rather like her, and her sharp tongue." He gave the woman and his uncle a wide and sunny grin, which Sam returned, while Thorin's scowl only deepened. "Give her a chance, Uncle Thorin, having a human woman along can't be as bad of an idea as I know you think it is. What possible harm could her presence cause?"

Gandalf interjected here," You should listen to them Thorin. I would not support her inclusion if I did not think she would be helpful to you and your ultimate goal."

Bilbo spoke up for the first time in this entire conversation here," How can she help against a dragon?"

He was promptly ignored.

Thorin scowled as he thought. Balin and Dwalin supported the woman's inclusion in their company and, while he trusts their judgement, he does not understand why they were so willing and quick to support her, but he has never been known to be kind in his initial assessment of humans, and Balin did have a point. Having a human on their side when dealing with humans or elves, Mahal forbid, would ultimately help them. He doubted she would be of much use otherwise, but he didn't know that for sure. There was also the fact that his nephews liked her, as young and at times naive as they were, their judgement of a person's character is usually accurate. All this in mind he posed a question to his company for additional opinions.

"Does anyone have any other opinions to provide? Any objections to this woman joining our company?"

There was a general mumbling among the assembled dwarves, some whispering questions to those who had already spoken with the woman. He heard Gloin mumbling about whether or not she should be allowed to have a portion of the treasure, but anyone who risked their life for the mountain would get their due for it, regardless of race. He then heard Nori mumbling about why a human would want to help a bunch of dwarves, but Ori pointing out that Gandalf would not support someone who meant them harm shushed any questions on the subject. After a few minutes the mumbling died. Sam looked a little nervous, but Gandalf gave her a comforting smile, for he knew she had won them over already, though he wondered himself how she had managed it so easily, but the Valar had brought her to the Company for a reason, and he trusted them implicitly.

Thorin looked around, no one seemed to have a negative opinion to voice, he had not honestly expected that, but sighed in defeat, without good reason to reject the woman, other than the fact that she was human, he was stuck.

"Alright, the human and the hobbit are both coming along, if they sign the contract."

"Thank you." Sam looked pleased that she had managed to achieve her goal relatively easily. She was also pleased that her smart mouth and dry sense of humor had managed to help her do it. Take that, Mom!

"Wait, me?! Why in the world would I be coming along?" Bilbo looked entirely confused by how he had gotten dragged into this. "I am not a burglar! I have never stolen anything in my life!"

"Hobbits are incredibly light on their feet and can go completely unnoticed by most, if they choose." Gandalf revealed his reason for choosing the hobbit, and it made sense, surprisingly.

Ignoring the hobbit's outburst, Thorin said, " Give her the contract, then give it to the halfling."

Balin scribbled on the contract, then handed it to Sam. She promptly signed, without reading it, in a curling script (cursive) that Balin did not recognize, but could almost read. She noted that what Balin had scribbled was a change in the division of the treasure from fourteen shares to fifteen. She handed Bilbo the contract, and he proceeded to fuss over the laceration and incineration part, and Bofur's helpful commentary made him faint. Sam shook her head at Bofur and Bilbo as she helped Gandalf move Bilbo to his room.

/Trail the Fat/

Sam figured her first order of business, while Gandalf talked to Bilbo about his however many number of greats uncle and golf, she would introduce herself to the rest of the Company, as they would all be stuck with each other for the foreseeable future.

She was not sure where to start, but when she noticed Dori fussing at Nori, she decided she would start there, if only to save Nori's sanity, so she walked up to them and neither noticed her, so she spoke.

"Hello there, I'm Sam. Since I don't know any of you, or your names, I thought I would go around and introduce myself." She smiled at the slightly surprised brothers, who looked at each other, then at her.

Nori, straightened up from bending over to talk to the seated Dori, and introduced himself, giving her a calculating once over, as he was a thief, after all. "Well, 'ello there lass, Nori, middle son of Fitoria, at your service." He bowed and she bowed in return. "Some'ow you managed to ta do somethin' in a few hours that I have been trying ta do for years." He smiled crookedly at her, a grin the promised a heap of trouble and no small amount of smarts as she cocked her head to the side, slightly confused. Dori only rolled his eyes at his brother and huffed.

"And what would that be?"

"Gettin' on Dwalin's good side." She gave a low chuckle at that, cause she still couldn't believe that she had managed it herself. "I've known him for years, an' he still doesn't like me much, but I don't think I have ever seen him take ta someone as quickly as he's taken ta you. What's you secret? Unless it's something like womanly wiles, I'd like ta use it on 'im, so he'd stop watching me so close and I could get away with more."

At that Sam outright laughed, no one had ever accused her of using womanly wiles on anyone, and she would honestly prefer to keep it that way.

"Now that would be telling, Nori." Her own sly grin made him laugh. He found that while he didn't trust this woman, he did like her, mostly due to her smart mouth, and that was a step in the right direction in his book, but to truly earn Nori, she would have to prove herself as loyal to the company, and all it's members, and contribute to the quest's success, or their survival, as it were.

Dori had been sitting by, listening to their conversation and decided to intercede before the conversation became even more inappropriate.

"Now Nori, that was entirely too forward of a thing to say to a young woman, despite her apparent appreciation of off color humor." He gave her a scolding look, and she grinned sheepishly in return. "Besides, you could be on Dwalin's good side if you just stopped all of your thieving nonsense." Nori rolled his eyes dramatically for Sam's entertainment. "Mahal know's just how many times he's chased you in and around Ered Luin trying to catch you. With all the aggravation you've caused him over the years it is perfectly understandable that you are never on his good side. Oh, pardon me. I am Dori, oldest son of Fitoria, at your service." He stood and gave a bow, which Sam returned, as Nori mimicked his brother's facial expressions behind him, forcing her to stifle a giggle.

"Hello, Dori, it is a pleasure to meet you. I apologize if you found my commentary in poor taste, a girl gets used to talking like that if she wants to survive verbally unscathed when she constantly has to contend with her twin brother's, and mostly male cousin's, smart and, at times, dirty mouthes."

Dori's scolding expression softened at the mention of her family, predictable given his love of his own family, which usually manifests in mass amounts of fussing, while Nori's eyebrow rose. Twins were almost unheard of amongst dwarves, especially boy and girl twins like Sam claimed to be with her twin brother, and he knew twins were rare amongst humans because of the difficulties of bearing them. Interesting.

"Ah, now that would make sense. One girl contending with many boys is bound to develop a sharpened tongue to put them in their place. So you have a twin? That's a mite unusual isn't it? And, if you don't mind my asking, how many cousins do you have?"

"No, I don't mind at all. And, yes, I do have a twin brother. It is a bit rare, but twins run in my family. We are actually the third generation of twins; my aunt and uncle are twins and my maternal grandmother had cousins that were twins. And I have.." She looked up and started counting on her fingers so she didn't miss anyone, but all this talk of family was only serving to remind her of what Gandalf had said when she woke on the hill only a few hours ago, that she was never to return home, which meant she would never see her family again. "eleven cousins in total. Both of my parents were one of four children and all of their siblings have two kids, except one."

Now that had the two older sons of Fitoria staring at her, such a large family was unusual amongst dwarves. This was unusual for a variety of reasons, many dwarrows and dwarrowdams didn't get married because they were so in love with their crafts they could not possibly share their love with another person, it was also because there were so few dwarrowdams, who made up barely a third of the dwarven population, some of which never wanted to have children. There was also the problem of a high infant mortality rate among dwarves. To have so many children survive and have so many children of their own was a miracle by dwarven standards, many dwarrows were lucky if they had two children, let alone more. The sons of Fitoria were an oddity themselves, one woman with three sons, albeit by three different fathers. They were a bit awed by the fertility of humans.

At that moment Ori came up behind Sam, before she could ask his brothers why they were staring, and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around, and promptly had to look down. She would have to get used to that, a lifetime of looking up at her 6 ft 4' dad had trained her to look up, not down, but, as she was taller than all of the dwarves, that wasn't gonna work anymore.

"Hello, Sam. As my brothers have already introduced themselves to you, I thought I would as well. Ori, youngest son of Fitoria, at your service." The younger, shyer dwarf blushed as he bowed to her, and she promptly bowed to him. "I wanted to apologize for being so rude when we were all talking. If I had known you were there I would have said something else." Dori beamed at his polite, proper little brother as Nori face palmed, Dori had ruined him.

"Oh, that's fine Ori. I don't mind at all, no need to apologize." Ori nodded at her, she seemed nice enough. She smiled a kind smile at him that he returned, and had a feeling that they would be good friends. Unlike Nori, Ori thought they could trust her and would give her the benefit of a doubt. Dori also liked her, but he was more of Nori's thinking, this young woman would need to prove herself in order for him to truly trust her, though he would not deter her from trying to make friends among the dwarves.

Nori then promptly poked Dori in the chest, and started fussing at Dori about how he had ruined Ori with this and that, and then he launched into a well practiced tirade, obviously the result of an oft repeated argument, about how Dori was too overbearing with Ori and he needed to let him be more independent, yadda yadda yadda, blah blah blah. Ori's exasperated expression matched her mental impression of the two older Ri's at the moment, so while he gave her an apologetic smile and attempted damage control with his brothers, Sam slipped away.

Th next dwarf she had yet to meet that she spotted was Bifur. He was sitting on a bench, staring into space, oblivious to his surroundings. Sam knew that most people would be put off by the dwarf, with the axe in his head and slightly erratic behavior, but she knew better than that. Her mom had worked with mentally and physically challenged kids all of her life, one of her own cousins was a high functioning autistic, so he didn't put her off at all. Besides, the area of his injury meant that it probably affected mostly his ability to communicate, and, given the staring, his concentration or attention span, but mostly his communication, specifically language creation, because, if dwarven brains were anything like human brains, then the area of Bifur's brain that is at least partially damaged, in humans, is called Broca's area, which controls language creation, and would explain why he was only speaking in Khuzdul and Iglishmek. Sam thanked God she had taken AP Pysch in highschool, or else she wouldn't have known that.

So Sam went and crouched in front of Bifur, so he wouldn't need to look up at her, and she hoped she wouldn't startle him, and waited for him to come back to himself. She noticed Bombur and Bofur watching her from the corner of her eye, and couldn't blame them for being a little worried about her talking to their cousin, but she would show them that they had nothing to worry about from her, she wasn't about to shun or be cruel to Bifur just because he was hurt.

So Sam waited, and she could see awareness slowly coming back into Bifur's eyes.

He blinked, and looked up to find himself looking at Sam, he was surprised to see the human woman who had just become one of their companions crouched in front of him with a gentle smile on her face. Bifur rarely interacted with humans without one of his cousins present because he couldn't speak the common tongue, he hadn't been able to speak it in a long time, not since one lucky bastard was able to smack him in the head with an axe in a raid of an orc den. Before he could call one of his cousins over to translate for him, she stuck out her hand.

"Hello, Bifur? That's your name isn't it? I thought I overheard someone, the guy in the floppy hat I think, call you that." Bifur chuckled at that, while Bofur, behind Sam, stuck out his tongue at the unlikely pair from where he, and a quietly chuckling Bombur, were eavesdropping," So I thought I would come over and introduce myself. I'm Sam, as I am sure you already know from the after dinner show I helped put on earlier." He smiled kindly at the girl, trying to communicate his appreciation of her humor, and the fact that she was treating him like anyone else, something even a lot of dwarves, let alone humans, didn't do, without talking, since she wouldn't understand a word he said or signed, nor would she ever be allowed to gain an understanding, because dwarves guarded their secret languages very closely.

Sam continued talking, happy to see she had gotten a smile out of Bifur," And I hope we can become friends over the course of our journey."

Bifur thumped himself in the chest with a closed fist, saying,"Bifur" and a slew of Khuzdul she couldn't hope to comprehend, cue Bofur and Bombur coming to the rescue, as she watched the two approach from the corner of her eye.

"He said you're righ' about 'im bein' Bifur, and 'e hopes you can become friends over the course of our journey as well. I'm Bofur, by the way, y'know, the guy in the floppy hat?" Sam gave him a cheeky grin and a bow as she introduced herself to him and his little brother.

"Sam, at your service, Bofur of the floppy hat." All three Broadbeams laughed at that, enjoying her cheek. While Bofur enjoyed a good laugh, he was still curious about this young woman, but he wasn't going to agonize over her sudden appearance, nor Gandalf's mysterious support of her joining in their quest, only keep an eye on her. Her apparent ease with his cousin, and her ability to charm the dwarves in general, made him inclined to believe that his keeping on eye on her would only make him like her more.

Bombur introduced himself next," Bombur, at your service." The rotund dwarf bowed slightly to the young woman as she gave him a bow as well. He had noticed how she was trying to be very polite, while still being friendly. She was evidently trying to get in their good graces, given Thorin's obvious dislike of her, he could understand why she would think she would need to. So far, Bombur likes this young woman, especially since she wasn't scared of Bifur and wasn't treating him badly, that alone went a long way to put her in his and Bofur's good graces, because they were as fiercely protective of him as he was of them. Bombur knew some of the other dwarves were suspicious of her, just by some of the looks that had been sent her way earlier, which he could understand given her sudden appearance, but he thought she would come to earn their trust in time, and surprise them along the way.

"So lass, where are ye-"

"Young lady, might my brother and I have a word with you?"

Bofur was cut off from asking Sam some questions by Gloin's call from across the room, where he and Oin were still seated at Bilbo's table. Sam looked at Bofur apologetically as she walked over to the two dwarves, besides Thorin, that she had yet to meet. Bofur looked a little put out by their conversation being cut short, but Bifur reminded him, with some murmured Khuzdul, that there would be plenty of time for questions in the coming days.

Bombur, on the other hand, wondered aloud," I wonder if she knows how to cook?" At this, Bifur and Bofur looked at each other in exasperation at Bombur's, at times, one track mind, then rolled their eyes dramatically away from each other, as they broke out in chuckles; Bombur sighed at their antics.

/Leave the Bones on the Bedroom Mat/

Gloin and Oin watched as the young woman approached them after they had called her over. She did not appear to act like the many humans they had met on their travels, who believed that dwarves were below them and that they had every right to try and cheat them, to demean them as they saw fit. Oin was actually rather impressed by the way she had approached Bifur on her own, few could see at first glance how kind the dwarf actually was; despite how fierce he was in battle, Bifur was a gentle soul, much like the rest of his family, who had an intense love of children, which was why he, and Bofur, were toymakers when they weren't mining.

Gloin was decidedly less impressed, he did not trust this girl, not one bit. He did not trust Gandalf and his meddling, he did not trust the fact that she seemed to like dwarves, and he did not trust that she did not have ulterior motives for aiding them, he believed she would cause them harm or prevent them from accomplishing their goal, but he had no proof of this, so he would just have to watch her very closely to get it. He also didn't like her manners, women should curtsy, not bow, she acted entirely too masculine for him to approve; in his experience, human women who acted like that were involved in bad business, and acted that way to protect themselves from their unsavory business partners.

"Hello, Masters Dwarf. I am Sam, and it is a pleasure to meet you." Once again she bowed, and she was glad she would only need to bow once more in personal introduction, and that would be to Thorin. "Now, what can I do for you?" She looked between the brothers, and found herself growing uneasy under Gloin's distrustful stare, while Oin looked a little more friendly, giving her a skeptical once over, she started to regret being called away from the friendly Broadbeams, even if Bofur was about to ask a question she wasn't sure how she would answer.

"Hello Sam. I am Oin-"

"and I am Gloin-"

"sons of Groin, at your service." As Oin finished they both gave her slight bows from their seats, then the brothers took on more serious expressions.

Gloin was the first to speak," Now, lass, as you are now a member of the company, we have some questions for you. My first question is this, how good of a fighter are you?"

She should have seen that question coming a mile away.

"Well...truth be told, Master Gloin, I'm not a fighter at all. I have never been trained and never seen battle, mostly because, where I grew up, there wasn't a need for it, and my parents didn't see the point in exposing me to it if there wasn't an immediate need." Gloin scowled, he had not anticipated her have absolutely no experience fighting, or with weapons, which could prove to make her a burden indeed to their quest. "I do, however, have many weapons in my pack that I am more than willing to learn to use if someone if willing to teach me."

Gloin grunted at that, pleased that they would not also have to provide her with weapons and that she was a willing, if utterly unexperienced, student. He also couldn't help but wonder what kind of warrior she would be, people from peaceful places seldom took to fighting as those who had grown up with it did. He seriously doubted that the girl would be a powerful or skilled fighter, no matter how much or quality training she received, though he hoped she would be decent enough that they would not need to worry about her in a fight, or risk her getting underfoot.

"And what weapons would you have lass?"

"I have a bow and quiver, two curved swords, and a variety of what look like throwing knives and daggers."

Gloin was even more pleased to hear that she had a variety of weapons they could teach her to use, and that they had people in the company who were experts in some of those weapons, except the curved swords, he did not know how they would teach her to use those, but Fili and Dwalin were both excellent dual wielders, so they would have to work off of that. Gloin figured they could leave the bow training to Kili, since he was the most adept with the weapon, throwing knives would go to Fili, and daggers would be Nori's responsibility. He didn't particularly like the idea of having the young Durin's working so closely with Sam, but little could be done about, after all, they would be traveling across Middle Earth together, it was not as if he could keep them from associating all the time.

"That is good, lass, now I believe I will go speak to Dwalin about how we will go about training you on the road." He was sure Dwalin had not counted on having to train her from the ground up when he advocated for her inclusion in their company. Served his cousin right, putting so much stock in someone he had only just met.

As Sam and Oin watched Gloin amble away, Sam getting the distinct impression he didn't like her or her answers to his questions, Oin turned to Sam to pose his own questions, his earhorn angled towards her.

"Alright then, now, I am the healer for the company and I would like you to tell me about any allergies, problematic past injuries, or conditions you might have that could cause you trouble on this journey. I want to be prepared for any possible problems that might arise on this journey, and I would like to get the necessary supplies in the next few weeks, while we are still near inhabited parts of Middle Earth."

Sam had not quite expected that, but she figured such questions were prudent for long journeys into the wilds of the world.

"Well, um, I have no long standing injuries that could prove an issue." Oin nodded at that, though he hadn't really expected her to have any, given she appeared hale and healthy, if plump, in his opinion.

She continued, apparently thinking out loud, as her eyes were looking up, a pensive expression on her face," I don't believe my metal allergy will pose any issues given that the armor I have is light armor, mostly leather, with little bits of metal for reinforcement." Oin raised an eyebrow at the statement, he had never heard of someone having a metal allergy before. Interesting.

"The only thing I can really think of that might cause issues is that, when I was younger, I would have episodes where I wouldn't be able to breathe because something I inhaled, usually smoke, triggered a spasm is the muscles of my diaphragm and throat. I haven't had an episode in a few years, but the healers always told me to be careful, because just because I hadn't had one in a few years didn't mean I would never have one again."

Oin had heard of such a condition amongst humans before, so he knew what he would need to treat her if she had one on the road, though he hoped he wouldn't need to deal with it as the fact that she had not had an episode in years meant she was much more likely to not have another, but he would have to warn the others about smoking near, or upwind, of her because he didn't want their habits to possibly trigger an episode.

Oin nodded at Sam, "Thank you for being honest about your condition, many people would have chosen to keep it a secret to keep from seeming weak in the eyes of those they do not know, or who not necessarily trust them." They both knew he was referring to Thorin, and probably Gloin.

"No problem, Master Oin. My mother always taught me it's best to be honest when it comes to things that could cost you your life if other people are left unawares or unprepared. I've no intention of hiding anything from you, both because it doesn't make me weak, it's simply a fact of being me, and because I hope showing that I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of will lend me credibility in the eyes of those who doubt me, not to mention giving trust is the first step in gaining trust."

Oin was surprised by her answer, he did not expect one so young to think that way, and that way of thinking would probably make it easier for the more skeptical members of the Company to come to trust her. He was also pleased that she listened to her mother's sense, and wondered why her mother thought that way, but figured he had bothered her enough for now, best give the girl some peace since this was the last night they would have the comforts of a home for a while. He motioned that he was done with his question,s and with a nod of her head, she went off, presumably to talk to others of the Company.

/Spill the Milk on the Pantry Floor/

As Balin and Thorin had their discussion about the Company and Thorin's reasoning for the journey, they both observed how Sam flitted from group to group, introducing herself. Thorin did not know what to make of her. She didn't fit his preconceived notion of what a human woman would act like. The brothers Ri and the Broadbeams all reacted positively to her introductions, if their smiles and chuckles were anything to go by. Gloin was the only one who didn't seem charmed, if the way he was grumbling as he stalked over to Dwalin was any indication. And Dwalin looked slightly annoyed when Gloin started talking to him, so Thorin wondered what that was about, but knew he would find out later. He watched as she walked away from Oin only to look at him and Balin, a considering look on her face.

Balin noticed Sam looking at them as well, and figured he should allow her to introduce herself to Thorin, so he nodded at Thorin and walked off to find out what Dwalin and Gloin were now discussing in earnest.

Sam took Balin's exit as her cue, needless to say she was not looking forward to talking to Thorin, but avoiding him would only make the inevitable conversation more awkward than it needed to be.

"Hello, Master Oakenshield. As you already know, I am Sam Clen. I just thought I would introduce myself to you since we are going to be traveling together."

Thorin, face to face and alone with her for the first time, studied her. He looked her carefully up and down, watching her fidget slightly under his scrutiny, then walked around her, taking note of the way she was dressed, the way she held herself, and how she moved. He found himself unimpressed, though he had expected that. She was shorter and broader than most women, by human standards, she was also plump, and had no calluses from hard work on her hands, though she did have one on her left middle finger, indicating that she often held a quill and that she was left handed. She bore no visible scars nor signs of hardship, her mannerisms also, to him, revealed she had led an easy life, likely the child of well off parents who impressed the importance of manners, though, apparently, not ladylike mannerisms, and being charming on her, skills she had put to good use, though he could not know that Sam's charming mannerisms were in fact her attempts at imitating her much more sociable twin's behaviors, going against her actually more introverted and quiet nature.

Thorin doubted very much that she would do well on this journey, given her lack of exposure to physical exertion and strain, and her lack of knowledge about the challenges and dangers they were likely to face, but, he did concede, maybe another perspective would be helpful at times. Thorin was also under the impression that she was not a fighter and would need to be trained, he just hoped she had some experience riding a horse, or else their journey would be very difficult for her indeed.

"Miss Clen, make no mistake, I am no fan of the idea of you coming along on our quest, and I am sorely tempted to negate my decision to allow you along already, but, I trust Balin and Dwalin's judgment, and that is the only thing staying my hand. If you give me any reason, and I mean any, to believe your presence on our journey will cause harm to come to any one of my companions or keep us from our goal, you will be dealt with swiftly." This ultimatum was accompanied by a fierce glare. San nodded mutely, eyes wide, entirely unprepared for the animosity in his tone, very reminiscent of her mother when she was well and truly pissed off. He left her standing there as he walked into the sitting room to commence the multi-part harmony performance of the other iconic song from the movies.

As Sam stared at his back as he walked away, and couldn't help but think: What have I gotten myself into?

Ok, so that's all for the first chapter. Don't expect regular updates until the beginning of April, but I will try to give a few before then. Poke me if you feel I am taking too long, just don't harass me.

Toodles! :)


	2. Chapter 2

I lied, I guess I will be updating sooner, and probably more regularly, than I originally thought, thank my boredom for the fruits of my labor. I hope you like this shorter chapter.

Standard Disclaimers apply, enjoy!

"Oi! I'm tellin' ya, he'll come! No ifs, ands, or buts about it!"

After a hasty breakfast born of another raid of Bilbo's kitchen, the Company set off from Bag End. They had woken at first light, though only a select few, such as Bofur, Balin, Sam, and surprisingly, Nori, were morning people; they had all rested well and proceeded to don their full traveling gear and finish arranging their packs.

Sam had some minor issues trying to figure out how to wear her bow and quiver on her back, Kili had tried to help, but only made it worse until Dwalin pointed out that it was a quiver designed for a left handed person, which Kili was not. In the end, Dwalin was the one who helped her straighten it out because Kili, for all his good intent, was not helping in the slightest (he managed to get the fletching of an arrow stuck in her hair and nearly poked her in the eye with her bow). After that it had been a simple task putting her dual swords at her hips under her coat (some of the dwarves actually complimented her on the quality and uniqueness of her clothing, a given considering she got it from the Valar), but she kept her various knives and daggers in the pack as she hadn't a clue what to do with them.

When she had stuck the knives in her pack she discovered a supply of fresh clothes, toiletries, non-perishable food items, a whet stone and other things she assumed she needed to properly take care of her weapons, a flint box, several filled water skins and flasks, a comfy looking bedroll and pillow, extra armor, and what looked like carving tools.

They had met Gandalf just down Bag Shot Row, where he had two horses and fourteen ponies. The princes were more than willing to help her figure out how to attach her pack to her horse, Lilly, but seemed disappointed when it became obvious she knew her way around a horse, she automatically adjusted the stirrups of the saddle and hopped up without an issue.

She discovered, however, that on a horse she towered over the pony riding dwarves, which seemed to amuse certain members of the Company, such as Balin and Gandalf, that the little human could ride a horse and they couldn't, while others were displeased, Thorin and Gloin because they didn't like her being taller than them all the time. Fili, Kili, Ori, and Bofur, however, didn't like it because it meant they had to look up to talk to her, and any pranks they had planned would be harder to pull off with her on a horse.

All of these events had led to the current argument going on about whether or not Bilbo would show up. Sam, of course, knew he would and had bet all of the gold she found in her pack on it, looking forward to making a hefty profit. The dwarves who had trusted her automatically, namely the younger ones, the Broadbeams and Balin, and, unexpectedly, Oin, bet along with her and Gandalf, whereas Dori abstained because he thought gambling was in bad taste (and proceeded to glare at both of his little brothers for participating), while Thorin, Dwalin, Gloin, and Nori bet against Bilbo because they thought the little hobbit was too scared of the world to leave his smial.

"Wait, wait! I signed it, I signed it!" Cue their burglar showing up and making a few of the Company a bit more wealthy than they had been a few moments earlier.

There was some grumbling as the losers paid up and Bilbo was plopped on Myrtle. Sam caught a hefty bag of gold before riding up next to Bilbo and handing him a handkerchief when he started sneezing. He looked up at her gratefully before going up to talk to Gandalf.

And so began the quest for Erebor.

/Splash the Wine on Every Door/

Their eyes were cold and lifeless, completely devoid of the warmth and affection she had come to expect when looking into their kind faces.

Then she noticed the blood. THE BLOOD. There was sooo much blood! And it wouldn't stop flowing! It covered her head to toe and she was screaming!

They wouldn't wake up, why wouldn't they wake up?!

They couldn't be gone, they just couldn't be!

Their light was gone! They were gone! Her Light was gone! He was GONE!

Nononononononono-!

/Dump the Crocks in a Boiling Bowl/

Sam bolted upright on her bed roll, her heart pounding, eyes wide, and scared shitless.

"Ya alrigh', lass?"

Her head swiveled so quickly towards the voice her neck cracked. It was Bofur, just Bofur, cause he had last watch at dawn.

He looked at her, concerned, as she closed her eyes and took some deep breathes, trying to calm herself down.

"I'm fine, Bofur, just a weird dream."

He nodded and went back to watching their surroundings.

Every night since they had set out from Bag End, two weeks ago now, she had had that horrifying dream. She never remembered what happened in it when she woke up, though she was remembering more tiny details every time, all she knew is that she was terrified and that something heart wrenchingly awful had happened. Her chest ached with a sorrow she didn't know the origin of, and it scared her, scared her more than anything else ever had, but she didn't tell anyone anything besides the obvious fact that she was having nightmares, which she had never had before in her life, because something told her they weren't supposed to know.

She had hoped, after the first few days, that the grueling training regime for learning to fight that Dwalin and Gloin had implemented everyday since Bag End would leave her too tired to dream, just as it had left her too tired to do much after her training had ended besides sit and watch the dwarves and Bilbo. Fili, Kili, and Ori had, fortunately, picked up on her exhaustion and didn't ask much of her, while the rest of them got too wrapped up in their own conversations and stories to notice her lack of contribution, something she knew wasn't likely to last, as they would run out of material eventually; alas, she still dreamed.

Dwalin had decided to start teaching her the basics of fighting first, which involved hand to hand combat, strategy, and assessing one's opponent. She was proud to say that Dwalin had told her her instincts were good, after she had automatically ducked when she felt the air displaced by a punch from Fili behind her head (the dynamic duo was acting as the training dummies for their exercises so Dwalin, as the teacher, could watch their fights and pick out what she did wrong and how she could fix it, and because they were honestly still learning too), Gloin had seemed surprised by this discovery, but not displeased.

Her speed, agility, flexibility, and spatial awareness had improved in leaps and bounds after the first few days, mostly because Dwalin had decided the best fighting strategy for someone with her build and strength, as least up close, would be kind of like guerrilla tactics, she was supposed to duck and dodge out of the way of her enemies more powerful attacks and wait for the right moment to strike, and when she did strike, it was to be with precision and purpose, a power attack was her last resort because she simply wasn't strong enough for sustained power struggles. This kind of fighting required a lot of endurance, which she had a fair amount of because she had been a competitive swimmer for a decade, but that wasn't nearly enough, as a result, she was damn tired.

All of this in mind, Sam got up, taking her blanket with her, and joined Bofur on the log he was sitting on.

Before she could say anything, he asked," Would you care ta share jus' wha' i' is about yur dreams tha' makes ya look so scared when ya wake? Ya migh' feel better if ya share."

She studied his face, noting how his eyes scanned the area around them before flitting back to her, then repeating the scan. He looked at little more tired than he had when they left Bag End, and a little more unkempt because his braids were beginning to unravel, but that was to be expected, riding ponies all day then sleeping on the cold ground wasn't exactly pleasant, and neither was the smell of a bunch of dwarves, a hobbit, a wizard, and a human who hadn't bathed it two weeks, not to mention the smell of the animals, it all made for a rather fragrant perfume.

When she didn't answer for a few moments he looked back at her, his brow slightly furrowed with a bit of worry.

Bofur was truly a sweet and kind dwarf, worrying over people, like her and Bilbo, who didn't have any family in the Company to keep an eye on them. Though he hadn't had the chance to ask her almost any of the questions he had wanted to over the past few weeks, and she was still mostly a mystery to the Company, he still found himself growing fond of this young woman, and Bombur and Bifur were in the same boat.

Anyone who enjoyed listening to the rain, for days on end, while riding a horse and getting soaked and still had the desire to tilt her head up to the sky to feel it on her face, to drink the rain, was fine by him.

When he had asked her, after multiple members of the Company had noticed, why she seemed so fascinated by the rain and the forests they were riding through, she stopped singing one of the songs she always seemed to sing or hum under her breath (Fili and Kili had been unable to convince her to sing for them, because she was apparently out of practice, and Ori hadn't convinced her to tell him the lyrics yet), he had discovered that she was from somewhere where it barely ever rained, and the forests were only high up in the mountains, so these sights and sounds were rare for her, and she enjoyed the opportunity to appreciate them.

After she had said that, Kili asked her how old she was, for which he was promptly smacked upside the head by Fili and Bofur both, with Dori behind him reminding Kili that it was incredibly rude to ask a woman her age. Sam had only laughed and told them she was 22.

They all knew that wasn't really young for humans, but, compared to dwarves, she was just a baby. Kili was the youngest amongst them and he was 77, she was a little more than a fifth of his age. They all realized at that moment just how young she was, and how little of the world she had experienced compared to them, which had inspired a protective streak in the Company (hobbit included, despite his inability, at this point, to even protect himself), maybe even Thorin, that had aroused Gloin's paternal side and caused him to be a bit more friendly to Sam.

Bofur was brought out of his thoughts by her answer to his question.

"No, not really, Bofur, but," She put a finger up so he would let her speak, because she could see he had been gearing up to say something," it's not because I don't trust you, and I do agree with you that it would be better to share, but I just don't remember enough about it actually have a conversation. All I remember are feelings, and they are not good feelings, so let's leave it at that, please."

He looked at her for a moment, assessing the truth in her words and expression, and went back to looking around.

"Dwalin said that tonight I'm gonna start learning how to use my swords, daggers, and knives."

Bofur chuckled," I wouldn't be looking forward ta tha' if I were you, lass, cause tha' means you'll be havin' ta conten' wit' Dwalin, Nori, and Fili a' tha same time. Fili won' be a problem, bu', tha other two? Oh, lass, be ready ta listen ta a lo' o' arguin' an' being' pulled this way an' tha', an' ta be dragged inta a competition between them, ta see who is tha betta' teacha' an' who ca' get ya up ta snuff tha fastest."

Her groan of frustration only made him laugh.

/Pound Them up with a Thumping Pole/

Damn it. Bofur was right.

While Fili was trying to adjust her stance and grip so that she could throw her knife from the shoulder with more accuracy and less strain on her muscles, because apparently years of baseball, softball, and waterpolo had not improved her aim from her shoulder, but from her knees and hip she wasn't bad (during this lesson, after Ori had carved a target for her on a far away tree, she realized that she didn't used to be able to see that far away so clearly without glasses...glasses, where had her glasses gone and why could she see far away now? The Valar were just screwing with her), while Nori and Dwalin were arguing about the best way to use her curved swords.

Nori thought they would best be used in a manner similar to daggers, dash and slash, while Dwalin thought they would best be used with a standard dual sword wielding technique.

Personally, she thought they were both right, a combination of the techniques would probably be best, but she wasn't about to tell them that, not after being loudly and vehemently told to shut up earlier when she had asked a question in the midst of another argument.

Fili and Kili had just told her, after pulling her aside with conspiratorial grins, that that was the way they were with each other, always arguing, one trying to show up the other, the thief against the guard. Sam almost thought they were kind of flirting with each other, but, given her utter lack of experience in the romance department and flirting in general, she was probably wrong, and yet...hm, oh well, best leave it alone, it isn't her business anyway.

She had just managed to throw three knives, in quick succession, from her knees, hips, and shoulders close together on the target, but Fili was shaking his head at her because she kept doing something weird with her throws.

She threw the knife from her knees, lets the momentum and a pivot of her foot turn her all the way around, threw the knife from her hip, turned all the way around again, and then used the residual momentum of all of her throws turning her around to put more power into her final, shoulder throw (now more accurate).

This method was effective for increased accuracy and power, but the fact that her line of sight with the "enemy" tree was compromised every time she turned made it too dangerous to use in close combat, it might, however, work well when faced with multiple enemies because she would be able to keep tabs on all of them and, if she could vary her momentum and and throw mid-twirl, it would be effective for attacking multiple enemies at once.

Fili wondered what made her do that automatically though, it wasn't as if it was a movement commonly used for anything, except for dancing, but, when she was asked, Sam had informed them that she couldn't dance, she always managed to trip over her own feet. So why did she do it? Maybe it just felt more natural to her than the way he had demonstrated it? Oh, well, as long as it worked for her, it didn't matter. In her own words, she was a bit of an odd duck, whatever that meant. Why would a duck be odd? Before he could contemplate that train of thought further, Nori and Dwalin seemed to come to an agreement.

"Alrigh' lass, me an' the big lug here can't seem to agree on what kin' of style woul' suit you, an' those blades a yours, best. So, we ar' both gonna show you the technique we thin' you shoul' use. Ok?" Nori was not pleased with this solution, but it was better than no solution at all, at least it meant Dwalin didn't get his way automatically.

"Who ar' you callin' a big lug, ya star haired ninny?" The two started glaring at each other again.

"What ever you say zorro y oso grande. I am at your command." She bowed dramatically, sweeping her hand in front of her before going to get her trouble causing swords from beside her pack. The Company chuckled at her antics, the arguing duo, and Fili and Kili, who were now huddled behind Ori, watching him sketch Sam (without her knowledge) as she trained, only a few noticing that she had spoken in another language. Thorin, in particular, had his eyes narrowed at her, because he had no idea whether what she had just called Nori and Dwalin was an insult or something else.

Neither did the two dwarves in question, who were now giving their resident lass mildly confused looks.

"An', wha', Sam, di' you jus' call us?" Dwalin's statement brought attention to what she had said, and the rest of the dwarves were now just as curious, though most were willing to bet they were not insults, just witicisms (witty statements/comebacks) like most of what she said was.

"Huh? Oh, just some names I think suit you two."

"What do they mean, woman?" Thorin was not pleased, he would not have this woman insulting his comrades in a language that none of them spoke (ignoring the fact that they could do the exact same thing in Khuzdul and Iglishmek and she would be none the wiser).

Sam stared at Thorin, not expecting the hostile reaction to her benign commentary.

"Zorro means fox, and oso grande means great bear. Those are what Nori and Dwalin remind me of, respectively. I don't mean anything by it Thorin, and if I insulted anyone, I'm sorry." Her chagrined expression showed that she did, indeed, regret any insult, though Thorin now felt like an ass for getting so angry over inane comments. The glares Thorin received from Balin, Gandalf, Bilbo, Oin, Dori, and his nephews showed their disapproval of his ill tempered gruffness getting the best of him.

Ori wouldn't dare glare at Thorin, though he was sorely tempted to. Sam had been nothing but nice since they had met her. She, Ori, and Balin had many a pleasant discussion while riding during the day, which Fili and Kili promptly tuned out and started screwing around instead (needless to say, doing this on ponyback had resulted in a few mishaps, mostly Kili ending up upside down under his pony while still in the saddle, promptly getting a face full of dirt and manure, which was very difficult to get out of his wild hair, but his expression when he had been righted was utterly priceless), about dwarven culture.

She was always curious and asking questions about anything and everything that Balin and Ori told her, her inner anthropologist showing through the questions she asked. Balin had told her their history, how they had been made by Mahal, and how Durin the Deathless had been the one to gather the seven dwarrow clans and make the first dwarven kingdom, as well as how he was the ancestor of their own three royals. He told her about how all dwarrows were devoted to their crafts, like Ori to being a scribe, to the point that many never married.

She had asked about the place of dwarven women in their society, and he had told her how they were greatly treasured, because there were so few, and how many dwarrowdams were as devoted to their crafts as the males of their race, as well as how they were just as fierce fighters as the males and had equal, for the most part, standing in their society (they were still expected to behave in a womanly fashion, but this did not keep them from being as raucous and loud as the males).

The conversation of women in dwarven society had led to a discussion about the scarcity and sacredness of dwarflings, and children in general, to dwarves. Sam had found it sweet and comforting, as well as entirely appropriate, to discover that little ones were watched out for by all members of dwarven society, regardless of whether they were family or not (and dwarves were very concerned with family ties, titles, status, and wealth), all children were to be protected and taken care of, and to hurt a child made one the worst kind of criminal. Sam had reflected, at the time, that if more people thought that way back home, people wouldn't need to worry about their kids being in the front yard at night, and the world would be a safer, and less paranoid, place.

Ori had brought up the subject of the importance of braiding in dwarven society. He had told her all about how the different kinds of braids, their locations on the head or in the beard, and their intricacy, as well as any and all adornments (like beads), could indicate the family, craft, marital status, courting status, wealth, social status, and other such things about a given dwarf. It was up to each individual dwarf, however, what they did with their hair and beard; some dwarves kept their looks simple for the sake of humbleness, or to remain inconspicuous, while others were completely decked out because they felt the need to tell the world all about themselves. Ori also told her about the implications of touching another's hair or beard, as it was a sign of intimacy usually reserved for family, lovers, or friends so close they might as well be family, and thus could be construed in a variety of different ways, like a sign that two dwarves are courting or involved intimately with one another in some way; touching another's hair with out their permission could be considered tantamount to inappropriate touching.

It was at this juncture that Ori asked why she did nothing with her hair except tie it up when she slept. He and Balin had been surprised to discover that she did not know how to braid, at all. She knew how to knit, crochet, finger weave, and make baskets, but she did not know how to do the simplest of braids. This revelation had prompted Ori to tell Dori about Sam's predicament, because, to dwarves, this was the equivalent of an American not knowing the basics of baseball, and was, thus, an unacceptable state of affairs.

Dori had decided at that moment that he would take the duty of teaching her how to properly braid unto himself, though the use of some of Ori's knitting yarn, because allowing her to practice on someone's hair that she was not related to would be entirely inappropriate.

This newly created opportunity to mother someone, who wasn't one of his brothers, was what prompted Dori to glare at Thorin for his gruffness.

"Oso grande," Dwalin said the words, testing them in his mouth, on his tongue, though they sounded a little odd given his brogue," grea' bear, hmm, I like it." He gave Sam a wide, pleased grin, partially in apology for Thorin.

"Fox? Why do I remin' you of a fox?"

"Well, honestly Nori, with you it was actually a bit of a toss up between a fox and a weasel, but in the end, your grin reminds me more of a fox...and I think the phrase 'crazy like a fox' describes you quite nicely." Now Sam was grinning like a fox, any lingering apprehension over Thorin's outburst forgotten, as the entire Company started hooting with laughter.

Fili was actually on his knees he was laughing so hard, and Kili was rolling around on the forest floor.

Ori and Dori really should have been affronted on their brother's behalf, but there was too much truth in Sam's description that, in combination with Nori's utterly unguarded, incredulous expression, they couldn't help but laugh as heartily as the others.

Nori started to scowl, though the usual heat behind it wasn't there, and the small amount of anger that was in it was ruined by the way the corners of his mouth kept twitching upward, either to prevent himself from smiling or laughing no one knew.

"I don' think I like you anymore."

Nori's statement, utterly lacking in any true ire, just made them all laugh harder. Bofur fell off of his seat as Bombur rolled the log he was sitting on forward as he slipped off of the log, so great was the force of his mirth. Dwalin fell over onto the ground where he had been standing, doubled over in laughter.

It took a good ten minutes for them all to stop laughing enough to get back to their duties around camp, most still chuckling. Nori was still trying to look miffed, and was still failing miserably.

If there was one thing Nori had learned in life, through all the hardships of growing up poor with little to eat (unless he stole it or used coin from stolen goods to feed himself and his brothers), it was you couldn't take yourself, or life, too seriously (like Thorin usually did) not to say seriousness didn't have it's place, but too much of it sucked all the joy out of life, and, sometimes, when that was all you had, a few jokes at your own expense, so long as it brought smiles to the faces and laughs to the bellies of those who were close to you, were more than worth a small amount of embarrassment, and Nori would endure far more than that, and had, in fact, done so in the past, to keep those he cared for safe, healthy, and happy.

While everyone else got back to whatever it was they had been doing before all the hubbub, Dwalin, Fili, and Kili finally picked themselves up off the ground, wiping tears from their eyes, and finally got back to business.

Nori sauntered over to the still softly smiling Sam and slung an arm around her shoulders, prompting her to raise an eyebrow at him. They looked at little odd at the moment, because Nori was a decent couple of inches shorter than her and he had to stretch a little to get his arm around her shoulders, so, though the action could be interpreted as intimidating, the effect was utterly lost because of the height difference.

"Well, Miss Smart Mouth, I had been plannin' on goin' easy on you with the moves you woul' be needin' to replicate with my demonstration, but now...I don' think I will."

Sam grinned at him cheekily, glad he wasn't really mad at her for her joke at his expense. She honestly liked all of these dwarves and didn't want any of them to think otherwise. Besides, Nori was her fellow smart ass, so she had a certain fondness for him. That was also why she took his statement for what it was, a challenge.

"That's fine by me, Nori. A girl don't learn nothin' if ya go easy on her, so bring it on."

Dwalin shook his head at the two as Kili and Fili helped him clear anything they could trip on or over, meaning they were very thorough because they had actually seen Sam trip over her own feet and had her personal tale of how she had actually managed to walk into a wall in mind, before he deemed the patch of ground they had been using for training safe.

"Alrigh', zorro, was it? Ge' ta demonstratin'."

Nori promptly went over to the patch of cleared ground and took a a fighting stance. He was crouched, left leg extended in from of him while his right leg was slightly behind him for balance. He had his two long, angled daggers into his hands and brought them in front of his torso. The one in his right hand was angled forward, while his left was angled backward. He then darted forward with his right hand making a sweeping slash, his left changing it's orientation so he could stab backward, followed by a series of rolls, more stabs and slashes, some aerial launches where he brought both daggers down on where his opponent would be, and, then, finished off with a complicated, backward moving counter attack that Sam could barely follow it was so fast, but it involved a series of ducks, side ways rolls, and a constant barrage of slashes and stabs. Nori was scary with those daggers, she felt bad for anyone who got on his bad side.

Dwalin stepped up next. His stance was inherently different from Nori's because it was frontal rather than sideways. He stood with the two swords crossed in front of him, then started forward with duel swipes of the blades, a block, a scissoring maneuver, an upward jab, sideways jab, and a double fisted downward jab. Essentially Dwalin did just as Nori had, the main differences being that he was limited in mobility by the size of the blades, relied more on power that finesse and multiple strikes, and his blocks were more effective.

After Dwalin was done, he motioned for Sam to take her curved blades and start. Everyone expected her to try out both techniques, then stick with the one that felt most natural to her. But she didn't do that, she did exactly what she had thought would work all along, a combination of the two.

She started spinning and slashing, ducking and stabbing, rolling sideways before launching into the air from her crouched position. The fluidity of her movements and the ease with which she executed that form of fighting made her look like she was doing a deadly wind dance, she became a blade whirlwind, her blades almost invisible.

The dwarves and Bilbo, even Gandalf, stared as she kept moving. When she finally stopped, they were all still staring at her, for it seemed that those twin, curved blades were made for her.

Sam turned beet red under their scrutiny, about to ask what was wrong when Dwalin spoke.

"Well, Nori, I thin' we were both wrong, i' seems tha lass 'as 'er own style tha' works jus' fine."

After that, none of them tried to change the way she fought with her daggers, knives, or swords, because, if that way of fighting came that natural to her, the Valar didn't want them to change it.

I don't know what they will encounter next, but it might just be some stinky trolls. :)

Or not, no guarantees.


	3. Chapter 3

Prelude to Stinky Trolls it is!

Sorry it's another long one, I have a lot of trouble shortening these because this is how they work out in my head.

Disclaimers galore in this chapter, I own nothing, except Sam and all her sarcasm.

By the way, the line breaks I'm gonna start using in this chapter are gonna switch from being lyrics from "Blunt the Knives" to lyrics from "The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late," which is in an outtake of the first Hobbit movie, look it up on Youtube by punching "Bofur's Song" into the search bar. I also recommend the deleted Rivendell scenes because they might be making an appearance.

o.0 :)

/And When You've Finished, if They are Whole/

_His hand was limp and cold in hers. The color of life gone from his cheeks._

_The other two were the same, dead. DEAD_.

_She heard a horrible keening, despondent sound, then realized it was coming from her, from the depths of her soul, from the heart wrenching feeling of loss, from knowing that she could have DONE SOMETHING to prevent this._

_This was so wrong in so many ways, her heart ached so with a bone deep sorrow she thought she would die right there on the battlefield-_

/Send Them Down The Hall to Roll!/

Sam woke up, much the same way she had for the past five weeks on the road, scared and close to an utter emotional meltdown from the turmoil left over by the dreams she was starting to remember more and more of, though they were still largely nonsensical in her mind.

The Company had learned that whoever was on last watch at dawn would usually have a companion about halfway through the watch, and most had given up trying to get her to talk about the nightmares that haunted her, primarily because she still claimed she was only remembering feelings, nothing else, but this did nothing to stop them from worrying about her.

Sam was hoping Thorin would just give her last watch so someone who could actually sleep wouldn't need to be up that early, and because she hated first watch, which was after everyone went to sleep, but that was the only one that he would trust Bilbo and Sam with, it was also the only watch with two people, damn grumpy dwarf and his untrusting nature. Couldn't he give them some props? Please? It's not like they had managed to get themselves, or anyone else, killed (Thorin would undoubtedly add a yet here, but the rest of the world does not share in his cynicism), so was a little faith a too much to ask? Apparently, the answer to that question was a yes.

So Sam got up with her blanket and went to sit beside Gloin, who had warmed up to her in the past few weeks, not only because she was proving to be a good fighter that they would be able to count on in a fight (though she was still untested in battle), but also because of the stories she had begun telling every night, after a lesson in the art of braiding from Dori, of course (Bofur had also taken to teaching her how to use the carving tools in her pack and she had managed to make a very deformed dog that had made Bofur laugh, although, according to him, it was better than his first attempt at carving).

This had sparked an appreciation in Gloin for her view of the world, expressed through her commentaries about the stories when she was asked questions about them, since no one, not even Gandalf, had heard them before. He was also charmed by her love of all things musical, especially songs that were terribly poignant, because she often sang the songs that went with the stories (blame Disney and their absurdly catchy and memorable tunes), most of which taught a lesson or two, needless to say Kili, Fili, Ori, and Bofur were quite happy to actually hear and know the origin of all the little songs she sang to herself.

It had all started when she mentioned The Legend of Zorro and Robin Hood that night she had given Nori and Dwalin their new nicknames (a sign of affection from Sam, who only ever dared call someone by something other than their given name when she felt close to them or safe) when she had been asked about the origin of the words. She had made the mistake of making a comparison between the characters Robin Hood and Zorro offhand, thus they had demanded she tell them the stories she was talking about, and it had all been down hill from there.

She told, on average now, about two stories a night, ranging anywhere from the many Disney stories she knew by heart (Mulan, Lion King, and Aladdin to name a few) to myths (like Coyote and the Raven from Native American Myths, and Heracles from the Greeks) to musicals (Sweeney Todd and Les Miserables, the company was extremely moved by the "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" song and the lines right before it) to classics (like Dorian Gray and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), to plays like Shakespeare, she had even included the tale of the Dovahkiin from the Elder Scrolls series of games, though, to avoid explaining video games, she made it out as a book that never specified the main characters gender, race, or preferred fighting style, and had multiple endings for the reader to choose from, and that also had a list of the races, their descriptions, and fighting classes because the author wanted the reader to use their imagination and decide the fate of that world, she had even managed to remember the lyrics to The Song of the Dovahkiin, she had been impressed with herself for pulling that off; Thorin had been especially fond of that tale because, being a somewhat vindictive dwarf, he liked the idea of killing dragons and taking their souls (beware Smaug, Thorin is coming to take your soul, Mwahahahahaha [Blue Beetle laugh anyone?]).

She did edit some of the other stories so the dwarves wouldn't be able to tell she was from a different world, but that was mostly tech stuff.

Sam and the dwarves were surprised by how well she told the stories (considering how she had rightfully earned the moniker of the joke slayer from her brother) though this was because she allowed herself to be drawn into her memories of the stories, imitating the voices of the characters as she remembered them, acting out some of the things they did, and adjusting the way she spoke with what was happening in the story, making her very entertaining and engaging.

She had actually started walking around like a gorilla when she was telling Tarzan, taking them off on a tangent about what they were and how their social dynamics were similar enough to humans/dwarves/elves/hobbits for a human child to survive with them, before she actually got back to the story.

The fact that Gandalf didn't recognize a lot of the places and creatures she talked about surprised the dwarves, but they were also constantly surprised by Sam's analysis of the characters, plots, and symbolism of the stories, some of them utterly confused by the complex conversations while Ori, Nori (Dori had looked so proud of his younger brothers in those moments), Kili (he was just full of surprises, everyone thought he was absent minded, but, where Fili did see the importance of the actions taken in the stories he did not, however, see the complexities of the motives and symbolism in the stories the way his brother did, because Kili was more emotionally minded than his brother, the only ones not surprised by this discovery were Fili and Kili themselves), Balin, Bilbo, Sam, and Gandalf shined.

They had no idea why she thought that way, or was so ready to analyze behavior and motives and other such things (AP English Lit and Composition were the guilty parties, as was AP Psych, again), but it just brought credibility to the reasoning behind her inclusion in the quest that Gandalf had given originally, about her providing a different perspective and insight.

Sam was surprised, however, that none of the dwarves had thought to ask about the religious references in some of the stories, but she figured someone would pose those questions soon.

/There's an Inn, there's an Inn, there's a Merry Old Inn/

Oin, of all people, proved her right, but not in the way Sam had expected.

"Lass, forgive me, but I've noticed that when you lay down to sleep after your watch that you tend to clasp your hands together, and seem to be mumbling, before you actually go to sleep. I confess I am a bit curious about what you are doing, if you don't mind my asking?"

Sam looked at Oin for a minute, slightly surprised by the question, before replying with a slight blush," I don't mind your asking at all, Oin. I'm just praying when I do that, that's all."

Those who were listening to the conversation simply nodded their heads, though they were not familiar with the action of putting one's hands together for praying.

"And who are you praying to? And for what?" Thorin, the ever suspicious dwarf, just had to assume she was keeping something from them by being vague.

"God, and I'm just praying that the Company stays safe and achieves our goal without any major mishaps." The Company nodded their heads and smiled, appreciating the fact that she prayed for their safety and success for what it was, a way of expressing her honest affection for the dwarves.

She had never grown this close to anyone in so short a time, but she found herself grateful for these dwarves and Bilbo, because it was also the first time in her life that anyone had accepted for who she was without asking anything of her.

"God? There are many gods, woman, which were you praying to?" Thorin was annoyed that she continued to be vague.

"I only worship one God and He doesn't have a name besides God." That drew the entire Company's attention.

Middle Earth was a polytheistic world that, to Sam's knowledge, had no truly monotheistic cultures, though all races preyed to their creators specifically, all of them acknowledged the existence of the other gods, Gandalf was even a minion of those gods as one of the Maiar.

"What do you mean you only worship one god and that he has no name? There are many gods and they all have names, like Yavanna, Mahal, and many others." Bilbo, surprisingly, asked this question, generally confused by Sam's admission.

"Is that the god that is referred to in some of your stories, like in Les Miserables?" Kili had made the connection, and his French pronunciation wasn't bad.

"Exactly, Kili." she smiled at him, and he sent a cheeky grin back her way," Where I'm from there are a couple of different religions, some are monotheistic, others are polytheistic, like yours, but my religion only has one God."

"How can your religion only have one god when there is proof of the existence of the Valar everywhere? Gandalf himself is proof, because he protects Middle Earth at their bidding." Balin said this, confused by how a religion with one god could exist in Middle Earth when the signs of the many gods were everywhere.

She, and Gandalf, had been expecting that statement, but only one of them had prepared a response.

"Leave her be, all of you. The young lady's religion is none of your concern, you need only to know that it has helped shape her into the young woman before you, this woman who is willing to risk her very life for a quest and a home not her own, for no other reason than she knows that it is the right thing to do, because her kind heart understands why you wish to reclaim Erebor and wishes to assuage the pain it's loss has caused you." Now everyone, even Thorin, looked chagrined, though Bilbo also looked pensive, considering why he was helping these dwarves.

Bilbo, originally, had not been as benevolent in his intentions when he ran out of his door that morning. He had been bored, tired of the quiet life he led in the Shire. The Company's appearance that night at Bad End had fanned the flames of the desire for adventure that Bilbo had thought had died with his mother, and he had chased his one chance to live that dream.

After getting to know the dwarves, however, he now felt the same way, he was not just chasing adventure, he wanted to help them regain their home, because his friends, who had, for the most part, welcomed he and Sam into the fold (mostly due to Sam's charm and her constant insistence in his inclusion in everything, without which he would most likely have felt alienated by the dwarves) deserved to have a place they belonged, like he belonged in the Shire, though something told him he might never truly belong there again.

So, despite his increasing number of reservations about this quest, he promised himself he would stay, and if not for their sake, then for Sam's, as she was the only other non-dwarf, excluding Gandalf because wizards got their own category entirely, and he did not want her to feel like he had abandoned her.

When Bilbo came back to himself from his musings, Sam was still blushing fiercely from Gandalf's statement, not having expected such high praise and noble attributions to her character from the old wizard.

Gandalf continued," You would all do well to remember that the other people of the world do not see things the way you do, and should appreciate that fact that they don't, because if Samantha and Bilbo felt the same way about other races as all of you did, they would not be here. In the interest of learning about other people," he glared at the lot of them," Samantha, I'm sure there are some stories, meaning no disrespect, for I know not else to call them, that describe the history or some other details about your religion?" She nodded. "Good, would you mind telling us those stories so that our companions may be educated?"

Sam nodded again and readjusted herself to a more comfortable sitting position on the rock she was sitting on, and began the tale of Moses and the Israelites (the kids version with all the songs, because, though she had full faith in her religion, she had never been able to force herself to read the Good Book) and after that, David, King of Dreams (also the kid version), and so the night went.

/Beneath an Old Grey Hill/

For the next few days Sam found herself singing on her horse, only to be find her alto voice being joined by the bass voice of Fili (who was a little tone deaf), Kili, with a rich, low tenor, and Bofur, with his wonderful high tenor. Sometimes Bilbo, Balin, Dwalin, Nori, Ori, or Gloin joined in too, making for a funky harmony at times since they did not know all of the songs she sang very well, but most of the time it was just the four of them, Kili, however, tended to sing more than his brother, riding beside Sam's horse so they could hear each other better.

The two would often end up talking about random things when they weren't singing, Kili telling her some of the stories he had grown up with in Ered Luin, along with stories of Ori, Fili, Gimli (she tried not to think about what she knew would happen, afraid she would say something she shouldn't), and his own adventures, leaving all sorts of mischief and mayhem in their wake.

The story about how he and his brother had weaved flowers into Thorin's hair while he slept, only to not have him not notice when he woke and walk to the forge he worked at with people staring at him, not knowing why until Dwalin saw him and informed of his "lovely locks," nearly had Sam falling off her horse, she was laughing so hard, but she was completely unsurprised by the trouble they had gotten into as little ones.

In return, she told him some of the stories of her, and her parents', childhoods. Kili seemed to find the story of her twin getting stuck in a tree only to be whacked with a broom by their grandmother hilarious, but he was utterly incredulous and could not understand why her father had whacked her uncle in the head with a shovel on two separate occasions, once as a child and once as an adult, or why he had decided it would be a brilliant idea to stash snakes in their shed, Dis would have killed them had they dared do anything like that, and brothers were supposed to get along not fight, but, Sam had assured him (as her father had assured her) that her uncle had utterly deserved it both times.

Kili was also entirely too entertained by the fact that her mother had had a pet steer, named Blackie, who acted exactly like a dog, that her mother, aunts, and uncle had later been tricked into eating by her grandfather, as well as by the story about how her mother and her oldest aunt, as children, used to chuck firewood at their mother from atop a wood pile.

They talked the days away, learning more about one another, Kili only becoming more charming, sweet, and funny in Sam's eyes, while she did the same in his. Of all the dwarves, Kili was the most attractive, in Sam's opinion of course, but not because he was handsome and had a strong build (the guy in the movies just did not do him justice), but because he was real, he was a living, breathing person, and he was still kind, and sweet, and thoughtful, and funny, and an honest to goodness good man.

But being a real person meant that he wasn't just all of those things, because no real person was that one dimensional, there was a sadness, and shame, there in his eyes, a look of disappointment, but also hints of defiance and determination.

Sam didn't know what exactly had put it all there, but she could wager a guess.

Kili wasn't like all of the other dwarves, that much was obvious even to the most oblivious of people; his favored weapon, and the one he was most skilled in, was the bow, he didn't have a full beard, he lacked his brother's and his uncle's regal, commanding presence, their more logical minds, in other words, he was nothing like what most people thought, and expected, an heir to the throne to be. He was too soft hearted, too kind, too much of everything he shouldn't be, and not enough of anything he should be.

Sam knew Fili wouldn't change his nadadith, his little brother, for the world, and she was sure that Thorin, and Dis (though she had never met the woman), wouldn't either, because they knew that a person like him was precious and rare gift in this world, that an open heart with a kind, and keen, mind, who could see the light in the darkest night, was a candle to others who would otherwise be lost in the same darkness, though none seemed to notice the darkness that darkened Kili's own light.

Sam couldn't help but think that the disappointment she saw in his eyes, was directed toward himself.

He knew he didn't live up to expectations, just like he knew, though he acted like he didn't, that Thorin's eyes held their own disappointment in him in those moments (despite his intense love of his nephews, for all their faults and foibles) when he was truly being himself, when he was goofing around with his brother and laughing and just not acting like the prince he was.

He knew he would never live up to expectations, because he knew that he could just not be the dwarf the world wanted him to be, not without betraying his own heart and mind entirely, and from that fact came more disappointment, disappointment, and utter shame, in himself for not being able, being willing, to sacrifice so much for the sake of his family and his people, to make them happy, disappointment in his own amazing (in his eyes) capability to be selfish.

That was where the sadness in his eyes came from; he was sad that he could never live up to expectations, never be who everyone, who his uncle, _his family_, wanted him to be. Sad that, no matter what he did, it would never be enough to make up for all that he wasn't, and, he knew, on some level, that they all accepted that Kili would never be the ideal prince, because they loved him, but that was what hurt the most, the utter lack of faith.

No one thought he could ever hope to be that prince, that strong leader, that person his people could look up to and follow anywhere, without giving up everything he was.

He was determined, she was sure, to prove them all wrong, to defy who they thought he couldn't be. To prove you didn't need to be like Thorin and Fili (though Mahal knew he loved the two) to be a good leader. To prove that being a leader didn't mean you needed to be aloof or detached or too serious, to prove that all you needed to be a good leader was have a good, and willing heart, with a little support, he could do it, he just didn't expect that support to come from those you would think would provide it.

Sam admired Kili for all he was, for the way he stayed true to himself, no matter how much it hurt at times, and all he could be.

She knew how he felt, she had ever been held to higher expectations, higher standards, than her twin brother, because she was a girl, because she was more responsible, because her mother expected so much more from her daughter, from the the daughter of a proud, forceful, intelligent woman who always managed to charm everyone, and those she couldn't, she cowed with the force of her wrath, her sharp tongue, and her ability to put others in their place, whether through show of authority, or guile.

Sam had always failed to be who her parents wanted her to be, because her father, as much as she loved the man, would not protect her from her mother when she was on a rampage, why she had never known (and now never would), when she cut into Sam with cruel words, that still hurt her to this day and had shaped the way she interacted with people for years because she was afraid they would be just like her, the occasional slap to the face, sometimes literally and sometimes verbally, had only made her fear of trusting people, of letting them see her without any of her masks to keep her gently heart safe (some of which she was wearing even now, in the company of people who had never done her harm, she still feared she would be hurt, but Kili, as well as the rest of the Company, in their own ways, was helping her overcome that fear, with all that Kili was and he wasn't, because he honestly wanted to get to know Sam, the real Sam, the woman behind all the masks, and all of his questions and honest interest were helping him peel back all those layers, whether he knew it or not) increased equal to her mother's ferocity.

Sam's mother had always found fault with her more introverted nature, something her brother did not have, as he was as social as their mother, had found fault with her interests, in reading, in games, in activities that were more solitary than social, and had made her displeasure known, often and loudly.

She had been punished before for not wearing enough makeup as her mother thought she ought to for school, for her hair not being done in curls, for her clothes not matching that way her mother thought they should, for being chubbier than her mother had been at her age.

There was an endless list of faults she had that she was constantly reminded of, though none of them were ever academic in nature, always in regard to her appearance, her personality, and her social skills, thus why she had learned to imitate her brother's behavior, so she had made masks to help her deal with the sadness and the stress, to help appease her mother, and try to live up to all of her expectations.

But Sam had always taken all of her feelings for her mother with a grain of salt, her mother loved her, she knew that because she was not a cruel tyrant all of the time, and Sam knew she was just trying to do what she thought was best for her, but in doing so, in not paying attention to her daughter enough to realize what she was doing to her, she had put Sam in an emotional and mental cage, and she had always felt trapped like a rat in a trap.

When she had gone to college, it was like someone had allowed her to spread her wings and fly without chains for the first time. She had been so happy to finally be in charge of her own life, to not be micromanaged, to not be told how to act, or dress, or eat, to be free to be herself and no one would find fault with that because, really, as flawed as her mother thought she was, there was nothing actually wrong with her.

She had a healthy respect for the law, she had faith in the kindness of people and the good of the world, despite all of the awful things in it, she had faith in God born of her own choices and beliefs (not her mother's scare tactics about going to hell, which had made her brother bawl once), she was kind and thoughtful, and had a good dose of empathy, she was a hard worker, and intelligent, and she had been well on her way to getting into grad school before she got dumped in Middle Earth, she even had a stubborn streak a mile wide and a temper, though only her mother and brother ever seemed to light her fuse.

The only things she really lacked were self confidence, a good understanding of herself, and the ability to let go and trust, things she was starting to gain with the Company at her side.

Though, at times, she can't help but think, that if her mother had just left her be, then she could have been a lot of the things her mother had expected her to be, though tempered by her father's more laid back personality, because she finds, the more time she spends with this bunch of crazy dwarves, the more time she spends feeling safe and accepted, the more her masks fall away, the more she begins to see that they weren't quite the masks she thought they were, that they were actual parts of herself that she had done up in gawdy makeup to hide the cracks her mother had put in them, to make them more pleasing to the only one who saw only cracks.

Sam and Kili had a lot in common, they seemed to know it instinctually, even if their hearts and minds hadn't noticed yet, thus, they became good friends in that first month or so of their journey, through shared conversations, shared songs, and shared stories.

Their growing friendship was only strengthened when they discovered that she had as much natural skill with a bow (who knew all those hours she had spent playing her rogue character in Skyrim would pay off?) as Kili himself did, another commonality between the two. (Sam had noticed how she seemed to get along rather well with the biggest oddballs of the group, namely Ori, Nori, Kili, and all of the Broadbeams)

That feeling Sam and Kili had shared that night at Bad End had been entirely correct.

/And there They Brew a Beer so Brown/

That night Balin told the tale of how Thorin became known as Oakenshield was epic beyond belief, but the orc calls that night were terrifying, they seemed, despite Kili and Fili's jokes, to Sam to be more that just a threatening presence they would be forced to confront, they felt more like harbingers of a doom she did not want to face, that she didn't want to face because of what they would cost her, what they would take from her.

They elicited the same feelings her nightmares did, and, that night, the terror she had known in her slumber increased ten fold.

/That the Man in the Moon Himself Came Down/

_She saw him get run through with a sword as he tried to protect his nadadith and his uncle, his blonde hair turning red, and congealed, with the warm blood that sprayed from the wound._

_In the next moment, she saw the other brother become a pincushion of arrows, the weapon he loved so much betraying him in the hands of another, more wicked, soul._

_But their uncle, the look in his eyes, the look of his world being destroyed right in front of him, as he watched the boys he had held in his arms as babes fell, dead, to the ground-_

/One Night to Drink His Fill/

Ori shook Sam, trying to free her from the incredible terror and sadness her dreams had etched on her face.

When his shaking didn't work, Bifur took her from Ori, held her to his chest, and, while stroking her hair and keeping her from thrashing, he sang a Khuzdul lullaby, one he had sang to Bofur and Bombur long ago.

Despite the harshness of the language (much like German sounds to non-native speakers), it was soothing, and the older, slightly damaged, dwarf slowly eased her out of her nightmare, and brought her back to the waking world where she clung to him as she tried to regain control of her breathing, grateful for his presence, and his song, to ground her.

When Sam was once again calm, she tilted her head up and gave Bifur a watery smile, and stood up. She found that Bifur, Ori, and the now relieved looking Balin, were the only ones awake in the camp, though Thorin was no where in sight.

They had all been awakened early by the anxiety caused by the presence of the orc calls the night before.

They looked at her, hoping for an explanation of what had caused her more dramatic reaction to her nightmares, but she shook her head, no reason forthcoming from her lips.

Sighing, Bifur woke Bombur to start making breakfast, murmuring to the younger of his cousins in Khuzdul, telling him to make their lass some soothing tea to ease the lingering anxiety from her nightmare.

Bombur was distressed by the description of how she had looked when Bifur had woken, though his worry was slightly abated when Bifur described what he had done to wake her, that particular lullaby always having been comforting when sung by Bifur's gravely bass.

Bombur, at this point, was terribly fond of Sam. She was always helpful, even when she was tired from lack of sleep and sore from training and riding all day, she always helped him with the meals. She had told him, once, that it was because she found food, and preparing it, comforting, because it reminded her of her family.

She was very close to her extended family, on her mother's side. They were all very kind, stubborn, intelligent, and just the right kind of crazy. The description she had given of her family when thy were together sounded very much like a dwarven family gathering (and a hobbitish one, according to Bilbo), sans the burping and plate tossing, with large amounts of food, plenty of laughter, multiple conversations going on at the same time, loudness, and an incredible amount of sarcasm, and love, plenty of love.

She had mentioned that her family loved food, something Bombur entirely understood, and that most of them felt that food was one of those things that brought people together, because no matter how different people are, sitting down together for a good meal can bring those who otherwise wouldn't associate with each other to the same place, because everyone can appreciate good food and it can be common ground that helps relationships and friendships form.

As a result of her appreciation for food and what it did for people, like making a bunch of tired and possibly grumpy dwarves happy so they can enjoy an evening together, Sam always helped him cook, whether it was chopping vegetables, learning to hunt, skin, or gut an animal (the first time Kili and Fili had brought back a few rabbits to eat for dinner they had shown her how to deal with them, she was a surprisingly quick study and rather good with a knife, which was why Bofur and Bifur had thought she would like to learn to carve), or just stirring the pot, she was always willing to help, as was Bilbo.

The three of them had had many a wonderful conversation about food; different kinds of food, different spices, manners of cooking, regional variations, and sharing cooking tips. Sam had far less tips to share, but she was young, so instead of sharing, she listened so she would know how to cook the stuff they described when the time came.

So Bombur made his friend a mug of tea, which she took gratefully, as the rest of the Company began to wake, most of them sensing something amiss with Sam, thus they watched her.

Dwalin, Nori, Bofur, Gloin, Fili, and Kili even going so far as to walk over to ask her if she was alright, while the rest simply asked those who were already awake about what had happened, relived to find she was alright, though distressed by her apparently worsening nightmares.

/The Ostler has a Tipsy Cat/

That day Sam rode beside Bifur because she was on a mission, she wanted to figure out how to communicate with him without learning Khuzdul or Iglishmek, she no longer wanted to be kept from understanding the kind dwarf after he had been the one to gently wake her from a terrible nightmare, when no one else, or herself, had been able to. If he was willing to go the extra mile for her, she would for him too.

When she told Bifur what she wanted to do he had been ecstatic at the idea, glad that Sam wanted to be able to understand him, and that she was willing to put in the effort to make their own little language to do it, thus, Bofur was called over to act as a translator in the interim of determining a way for them to talk, Bilbo was also called over so he could learn to communicate with Bifur too, and they got to work.

The first thing they did was try and determine what gestures all of them already knew and make sure that their meanings were the same, thus they already had gestures for things like 'come here' or 'be quiet,' but they needed to come up with more complex gestures, or sounds, that all three of them could replicate and remember the meanings of.

Bofur, Bifur, and Bilbo had been rather bemused when Sam told them that they had something called sign language where she was from, a language of gestures primarily used by the deaf, but that she only knew two signs, how to say 'I love you' (pretty much the hang loose sign) and 'peace,' both of which were added to their growing repotoire of signs.

At the end of he day they had a rudimentary language that used a combination of hand gestures and animal sounds, like howling and bird calls (Fili and Kili had offered to teach Bilbo and Sam how to replicate them, like owls and thrushes), as well as some sound effects, such as nose whistling, nasally sounds in general, or grunts.

They practiced for the next few days (all of them thankful to discover that Sam's nightmares had returned to their previous level of terror, rather than repeat the experience from the morning after the orc calls), eventually getting it down well enough where they were holding basic conversations with one another, Bifur glad to finally be able to talk to someone who wasn't a dwarf and didn't think he was crazy, while Sam and Bilbo were glad to be able to talk to him without help, because he was really a very smart dwarf with a lot of opinions and things to say, some of which got lost in translation or lost their oomph when passed through a third party.

The rest of the Company even wanted to learn their little language so, before long, all of them, even Thorin, were using it.

Thorin had even commended them for creating the language, as it would be useful if they ever needed to communicate surreptitiously, like if they were captured by enemies.

Needless to say, they were all surprised by that development.

/That Plays a Five-Stringed Fiddle/

The day came when they arrived at the abandoned, skeleton of a farmhouse and Sam knew they would have to face the trolls.

They had rode up to the dilapidated structure and stopped at Thorin's command, though Balin and Bifur did not feel it was the best place to stop, even if it was nearly dark, especially when Gandalf mentioned how a family had once lived there.

Gandalf and Thorin proceeded to argue about stopping there, about Thorin's pathological hatred of elves in general, even those who had not done him wrong, and about the stubbornness of dwarves (Sam agreed with Gandalf, they were a stubborn lot, for all of their positive qualities).

While the others set up camp and unloaded their supplies from their ponies and horses, Sam wandered around the farmhouse, looking for signs of the trolls she knew were nearby. She found evidence, but it had not been what she was expecting.

Ori, who had tagged along with her, gasped at what Sam had found around the back of the structure.

There was a fully articulated, if partially covered up, human skeleton lying face down on the ground, with it's arms extended in front of it, head turned to the side, as if the individual had died after tripping and doing a faceplant. While Ori went to tell the others what they had found, Sam started to gently uncover the skeleton, which had been bleached white by the sun in many places and was easily differentiated from the surrounding dirt, to try and get a look at it and figure out how this person had died.

She observed how most of the cervical vertebrae, and all of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, of the individual had been, literally, crushed to pieces, surprising considering how strong and thick the bones of the spine were, as well as how most of the ribs had been snapped in multiple places, the sternum broken in half, the clavicles broken in three places, including the epiphyses, and the shoulder girdles and heads of the humeri had snapped.

As the others, who weren't cooking (she felt guilty for not helping Bombur, but this was more pressing), headed over, including Gandalf, who had yet to storm off, Sam turned around the skull and the mandible, the pelvic girdle, and disarticulated one femur, so she could look at them all more closely.

The arrival of most of the Company (excluding the princes, Bofur, Bombur and Bilbo, who was about to be sent to deliver food) also marked the point at which Sam drew a tentative conclusion from the remains.

"Oh, my!"

"What happened here?!"

"Who died?"

Dori smacked Nori upside the head for the insensitive comment before Sam spoke.

"Well, it looks like a young woman, probably no older that about 26 or so, died by way of being crushed by something incredibly heavy."

They all stared at her with incredulous and baffled expressions, none of them having a clue how she had gotten all of that from a bunch of bones.

"Wha-? How in tha worl' do you know tha'? Sam had never heard Dwalin splutter before, and found it rather funny, in spite of the situation.

Thorin glared at Sam hard, as he was often want to do, and said," Indeed, how do you know all of that Miss Clen?" He had always thought the girl odd, but this was an entirely new level of strange, even for her, guessing things about the dead from their bones.

"The bones told me." Gloin, Nori, Dwalin, Balin, and Oin rolled their eyes at her, predictably, smart ass answer to Thorin's, equally as predictable, suspicious question. When was he going to give her a chance?

"How did the bones tell ya all of that lass?" Balin was as confused as the rest of them, though Oin seemed more contemplative than confused by her statement, his ear horn angled toward their lass.

Ori started to sketch and write as Sam explained.

"Well, first off, she obviously died by way of being crushed, as indicated by the multiple broken bones of her torso, back, and shoulders." She looked at them to make sure they understood the origin of that, rather obvious, conclusion, glad to find them all nodding in agreement to her assessment.

"But how do you know it's a woman?" The ever curious Ori just couldn't keep the question from slipping out, though he knew she would tell them.

"That, my dear Ori," said dwarf blushed at the endearment," is a bit more complicated to determine, but, luckily, what ever killed this poor woman did not obliterate all evidence of who she was."

Sam used a stick to point to different parts of the skull. "The supra-orbital ridge of thi-"

"Super what?" Gloin muttered to himself.

Sam changed tactics. "Supra-," she tapped above the eye socket," means above. Orbital," her stick circled the eye socket itself," refers to the eye socket or orbit." They all nodded, Oin listening carefully," So the supra-orbital ridge," she said it slowly so they knew what she was saying," is the brow ridge, y'know, what your eyebrows sit on on your skull?"

Some of them touched their eyebrows, realization dawning on their hairy faces, said eyebrows rising to blend into their hair. "Brow ridges, in men, tend to be heavier, or more robust, than in women. So, as you see here," she tapped lightly on the bony ridge in question," the brow ridges of this skull are not very pronounced. The forehead of this skull is also more markedly sloped than straight," her stick ran up the forehead," which is also indicative of a woman, more than a man, because their foreheads tend to be taller." They all nodded, following her reasoning, which made more sense as they considered how male and female humans differed in the face.

Sam pointed to the mandible. "The chin is also more pointed than square, as male jaws are want to look, another trait that is indicative of a woman." That made perfect sense to the dwarves, thankfully.

Sam proceeded to turn the skull over so they could see the occipital bone. She pointed to the ridge on the back of the skull (most people can feel this is they touch the back of their skulls, and, on guys with shaved heads, you can see it as a ledge in the skin, no, that isn't just fat or skin)," This ridge here, is a site of muscle attachment for the muscles in the neck. Now, the amount of use of a muscle and it's size can leave marks on bone because of the force they exert of the bone when it is used as a place to push or pull." The dwarves nodded, now very curious about all the things Sam knew about the skeleton. "So, it should be no surprise that, given men tend to have bigger and more robust muscles, that this ridge would be more obvious in men, right?" Again, they nodded. "And this ridge is not terribly obvious, is it?" Another nod. "So, it would not be unreasonable, especially when taking into consideration the other features of this skull and jaw, to believe that this is more likely to be the head of a woman, rather than a man, agreed?" The dwarves were starting to remind her of bobble heads, they were nodding so much.

"Agreed. Now, if you will look at the head and neck of the femur, or thigh bone," she pushed the one she had disarticulated earlier into a more visible position, "you will notice that the angle between the head and what would be the inner thigh is a little small, bringing the neck of the femur into a more perpendicular plane in relation to the body."

They continued to imitate bobble heads as she moved the pelvis slightly so they could see what she was talking about. "Now, we all know that women have wider hips than men, yes?," a line of bobble head dwarves would probably sell well back home, "So it would stand to reason that, for a woman's knees to be directly below her hips, like in a man, the neck of the femur would need a narrower angle, right?" especially if their beards flopped when their heads bobbed, a very entertaining spectacle in real life," Alright, now, since we can see that the angle of this femural neck is small, it would not be remiss to come to the conclusion that this femur most likely belongs to a woman." Sam could totally see it, 'get your Thorin Oakenshield bobble heads, on sale now!', "But," maybe with a karate chopping action,"while all of these indicators are very telling, the best indicator of sex in humans is the pelvis, or the hips." a karate chopping, axe wielding, bobble head Dwalin, hmm...that had potential.

"These hips are bowl shaped, all the better for carrying babies," maybe the Ori one could smack people with his book with the karate action," the gap between the hips is oval shaped, where it is usually heart shaped in males, for the purpose of giving birth," maybe Dori could stab people with knitting needles, after all, he did teach Ori to knit," the angle at the front of the pelvis, in the pubic area, minds out of the gutter please people, thank you," or would a stab happy Nori be better? decisions, decisions," is wider than in men, again, to facilitate birth," a Gloin bobble with his one axe would look too much like the Gimli one that already exists...," and the sacrum, the bone at the back of the pelvis, is more backward, also to facilitate birth." the Thorin bobble should maybe do a Gibb's head slap action instead, especially if sold in a set with Fili and Kili, "So, based on these features, it is most likely that this is a woman's pelvis."

A Bofur bobble smacking people's thumbs with it's mattock would be awesome," As for how I guesstimated the age, you can see how the end of the clavicle broke off, which means they were not completely fused," a Bombur one doing the same thing would also be cool," and since the clavicle is one of the last bones in the body to finish fusing," bobbly, bobbly, bobbly, oh what to do with a bunch of bobble heads," around 30 years of age, this woman was probably in the range of 26, but probably not exactly."

"Her name was Freya, and she was 27 winters old...She used to live in this very house."

Gandalf's statement brought Sam out of her mental bobble head tangent (What the HELL was wrong with her? Bobble heads? Really?), as did the way he was looking at Sam with an unreadable expression.

Sam smiled a little, though sadly, glad that her classes, and interest, in forensic anthropology had payed off in the end, allowing her to identify this young woman, so she wouldn't be buried in an unmarked grave.

All of the dwarves (not bobble heads, thank you) stared at Gandalf, then at Sam, completely shocked by the accuracy of her assessment.

Oin spoke," Considering the soundness of her reasoning, her accuracy is not unsurprising, though how she got so close to the actual age is beyond me." Oin now had a new found, healthy respect for this young woman, maybe he should start teaching her how to take care of wounds, after all, she already knew a lot about the body and how it worked.

Ori, once he had shaken off the the shock, looked at his friend in awe," How did you learn all that?"

"Before I met all of you, I was...studying under a master to learn how to identify skeletal remains." She didn't know if they had schools like back home here in Middle Earth, so she went with a general description of a professor.

"Why would you want to learn that?" Thorin, for once, was not looking at her like she was a bug buzzing around his head, but with a new found appreciation of her intelligence, he was beginning to understand why Gandalf had wanted her to come with them.

"I wanted to learn it so I could help identify remains, so I could help families find closure if they didn't know the fate of a loved one, or to help get justice for someone who could no longer seek it for themselves, like murder victims." Her words were sincere, and the Company was once again surprised by Sam, few of them ever having known a human, or anyone, really, who would think to do something so morbid for such a reason, even if it was also because she obviously found it interesting.

Not knowing what to say, many of the gathered Company ambled off to think of all they had just learned, both about the fate of the previous occupants of the farmhouse, and about the young woman who was quickly wiggling her way into their hearts, leaving Sam, Bifur, and Gloin to bury Freya and mark her grave.

/And Up and Down He Saws his Bow/

The three started making a small cairn over Freya's skeleton, after they had put a layer of of dirt over it, with rocks that had once made up the chimney of her home.

They worked in silence, for a time, before Bifur posed her a question in their newly made language.

'Is it not sad, to work with the dead? How does your heart handle it?'

"Well, Bifur, it is sad, and decidedly morbid, to work with the dead, but I take comfort from knowing that the dead I work with are in a better place." Both dwarves looked at her askance, they had, evidently, not understood her meaning. "What I mean is...is the dead are at peace, they are somewhere where there is no more pain, or loss, or hunger, or hate, or struggle to survive, they are somewhere where all the burdens one carries are lifted, where their souls are free. They are with all the ones they loved and lost, and all the souls they never had the chance to meet. I'm sure they miss the ones they left behind, but they know they will see them again, because, in the end, we all die, and when we do, we go home into the arms of our loved ones and we stay with them, and that doesn't sound all that bad to me, so working with the dead doesn't bother me because I know they aren't suffering anymore because of whatever killed them, that horrible experience is over, and they will never have to experience something like it ever again."

Mahal, how many times could this girl surprise them in one day? Gloin couldn't believe that one so young and inexperienced thought like that. She talked about life and death like some wizened old woman who had seen the world change, and knew what really mattered in it.

"Why does it seem like you have an old soul, despite your youth?" Gloin shook his head slightly as he posed this question, putting the last rock on top of the cairn, while Bifur put an improvised wooden cross (not knowing what it meant, from Sam's point of view) as the head stone.

They all bowed their heads in silent respect for the woman they had just interred, Sam placing a hand on the cross and whispering a prayer, hoping that everything she had just described was true for Freya.

Sam finally responded to Gloin's question as they walked back around the building to camp.

"I honestly think I do have an old soul, Gloin, I have no idea why, but I do. I've never been interested in half the things other people my age are, and I'm never as concerned with the same things as them, because I don't think they are all that important, in the end, because, honestly, who cares if you are the prettiest girl or strongest guy right now? That's not something that will last. I would much rather always be the average girl who is liked for her kindness or her intelligence, or her wit," she gave them both a grin, trying to lighten the somber mood that had settled over them, and they smiled back at her, if a little sadly, because she was really too young to act so old," because those things will stand the test of time the way beauty and strength don't, so when my hair is gray, and my skin is wrinkly, all the things that made me special, or made me matter, all the things that have helped me make good friends, like the Company," now Gloin and Bifur really did grin," will still be there, and I won't lose all the people in my life, the family and friends I made for my own, because the things that drew them to me, and kept them with me through the passage of time, will still be a part of me, because I'm made of something with substance, something that is not fleeting, or ravaged by time. I'm sure I sound really old now, but that is how I see things, I'd rather touch lives with my own than be remembered for some fleeting trait or heroic deed, because that's the only way to really make a difference in this world."

Sam was entirely surprised when Gloin gave her a bear hug about ten yards from their camp, with Bifur giving her a great clap on the shoulder, telling her, 'You might have an old soul, but it is a beautiful one, and we are glad you have sought to touch our lives, and, I'm sure, we all hope to touch yours the same way you have, and will continue to, touch ours.'

Sam blushed fiercely at Bifur's words as she returned Gloin's hug.

They all returned to camp just in time for Kili to tell the group at large about the trolls.

/Now Squeaking High, Now Purring Low/

Alright, I know that was angsty, a little graphic, and there were hints of a budding romance. There will be romance at some point, but not really until I get to the next arc of the story, which will be an entirely separate story on FFN.

And I know the bobble head thing was wack, but I blame it on a sugar high, and that is all I am copping to.

Stinky Trolls next time, I promise.


	4. Chapter 4

Trolls, here we come! And I am sorry this is sooooooo long!

Disclaimer, I own nada, but Sam and any other original characters.

Please write me a review or two, I don't bite through computer screens, I promise.

/Now Sawing in the Middle/

The Company ran after Kili as he led the way towards the trolls, armed and ready for battle, and when they got to their campsite, Sam was momentarily cowed, not only because this would be her first chance to prove she could fight and she could defend herself, but because those trolls were fucking huge!

They were shorter than an elephant on its hind legs, but what they lacked in height they made up for in sheer enormity, they must weigh at least a few tons each.

Sam only had a few moments to take all of that in before the dwarves roared a battle cry and attacked the trolls, herself in their midst.

She dove under a swing from one of the massive creatures, rolling forwards, right next to an ankle. She used one sword to slice through the tendon like butter, all because Dwalin had made sure she understood how important it was to take care of your weapons and armor, because, in battle, those were what helped keep you alive.

So he had taught her how to sharpen all of her blades to the point they were sharp enough to slice a strand of hair in half lengthwise, and how to oil her leather armor to keep it supple and prevent cracking or other weaknesses from appearing, he even taught her how to properly polish and protect what little metal armor she had, Kili taught her how to care for her bow properly to keep the string taught and the bow itself stiff, as well as how to make arrows, so she was prepared, at least materially, for this fight.

Dwalin knew Sam was a relatively skilled, if inexperienced, fighter at this point, but, still, he worried that it was not enough, having seen too many greenhorn warriors die in their first battles, even as he watched her duck and roll to neatly slice through the ankle of a troll.

Sam brought her other blade around to slice through the muscle in the back of the leg of the same troll, causing it to go down on one knee. Dori cut the troll's face with his sword, causing it to sweep it's hand around, flinging Gloin backwards towards the trees.

She continued to duck and slash, rolling around on the ground a lot, only going into the air to stab at the wrist of the troll who had picked up Nori. Bofur had slammed his mattock into the foot of the other troll while Dwalin had attacked it from the side, causing two of the trio of trolls to fall over.

Thorin was busy hacking away at the other troll as Fili and Kili and Ori tried to make sure none of the trolls noticed that Bilbo was succeeding in getting the ponies loose.

Sam had no idea where Gandalf had gotten off too, though it was entirely possible that he had stormed off while she had been burying the previous victim of these stupid louts.

Oin, Balin, Bifur, and Bombur had all pounced on the fallen trolls, only to get flung back as both regained their feet, how the one with the cut muscles managed that was anyone's guess.

The Company kept up the frenzy of their attack until the trolls managed to get a hold of Bilbo, despite their best efforts.

"Drop your arms, or we'll rip his off."

They all dropped their arms.

/So the Cat Played Hey-Diddle-Diddle/

Sam decided she didn't like being stuck in a sack, she decided she liked the sight of her friends being roasted on a spit even less.

She could feel a substantial amount of the heat from the large bonfire the trolls had going from where she was lying some eight or nine yards away, and she couldn't imagine how hot it felt from right above it.

The flames kept licking at the dwarves exposed skin, singeing their long johns in places, hopefully not causing more than first degree burns on her dwarves.

Sam was sure she could see the ends of Bofur's and Fili's mustaches and Dwalin's, Dori's, Ori's, Nori's, and Bifur's beards singeing from the fire. She could also hear some slight cursing from the older brothers Ri and Fili as the metal clasps in their beards, and mustaches, heated up, probably along with everyone's other jewelry (like Dwalin and Bofur's earrings) either further singeing their hair or burning them, she did not even want to know what the heat was doing to poor Bifur and the metal axe in his skull.

The dwarves in question were, in fact, getting burned, and a sight worse than a first degree burn if the pain Dwalin was feeling in his ear was any indication. He could hear Nori cursing, from between his legs, which was an incredibly awkward and uncomfortable place for Nori to be in Dwalin's opinion (though he was glad that, if need be, he could keep the thief from falling into the flames if the ropes burnt through by holding on to him with his legs...hmm) as the metal in his hair heated up and began to burn through through the long johns on his chest. Dori, for once, was cursing right along with his less proper brother as the same thing happened to him.

Bofur was trying to wiggle a little bit, trying to loosen the ropes so they could escape, worried for his cousin, who he could hear hissing in pain as the metal of his axe heated up and burned his skin.

Fili was trying to get the metal of his mustache away from his face, with no success as Ori whined in pain as his belly was singed by a lick of flame.

Sam did not know any of this was happening because she could not see anything in great detail, between the distance and the glare from the fire, only being able to make out that they were all moving from her vantage point.

Sam hoped they were alright, that any damage done was minor.

She, Bilbo, and the dwarves in sacks were fine, for the most part, a couple of bruises from being tossed around and landing on each other, but, really, nothing worse than that, though they were all worried about their companions, Kili did not like being separated from his brother.

Sam could not quite believe, though, that Thorin was actually trying to bite through the ropes that kept him in his sack. What did he think he was, a beaver?

The trolls eventually started discussing how to cook all the dwarves and the burbahobbit (apparently, she was short enough that they thought she was a dwarf) after some inane conversation, talking about jelly, and stew, and sage.

Bilbo, of course, started talking to the trolls, trying to stall for time.

"You can't reason with them, they're half-wits!"

"If they're half-wits then wha' does tha' make us?!"

Bofur made a good point.

And, of course, Bilbo had to say, "...skin them first!"

She almost had a heart attack when one of them had tried to eat their sweet Bombur, who had been distracted by his worry for his family, before Bilbo interjected, even though she knew he would be fine. (though, honestly, there was no way in hell that bugger had been about to eat Bombur in one bite and, given what Oin had said about the sturdiness of the bones of dwarves, she doubted the troll had a strong enough bite force to break his bones)

So when Bilbo began trying to convince the trolls that the dwarves were riddled with parasites, she helped him, though the dwarves had said their piece first.

"No, you have parasites!"

Oh, Kili, sometimes your youth shines through at the oddest times.

"Yes, yes! We all have parasites, and oozy, pussy, infected wounds! Who knows what else we've all got that could kill us! I really wouldn't risk it, really, I wouldn't." She and Bilbo nodded emphatically for the sake of the trolls, as all of the dwarves looked at the duo as if they had utterly lost their minds.

Sam kicked Kili and Thorin, for they were both lying on her legs, cutting off her circulation, and gave them a meaningful look with which, thankfully, they got the message.

"We all have parasites, mine are as big as my arm!" There we go Kili, now you've got the picture.

"My parasites are the biggest!"

"My wounds are the pussiest and ooziest!"

"I've been sick for years with bugs in my tubes!"

The trolls looked utterly flabbergasted by this development. The looked at each other, trying to determine a course of action, but their confusion only bred anger.

"Wha' do you expec' us ta do? Le' ya' all go?"

They all tried not to look too pleased with that suggestion, but the trolls, unfortunately, caught on.

A troll picked up their dear burglar, ready to start munching on the much more delicate creature, when Gandalf, finally, made an appearance, and the trolls turned to stone.

/A Jig that would Wake the Dead/

As soon as Gandalf cut the ropes keeping her in that wretched sack, Sam set about putting out the fire and getting half of her dwarves off that blasted spit.

Sam had a healthy respect for fire from all of the times she had managed to burn herself in the kitchen (her brother did not share in this respect, he used to write words on the concrete in their backyard with Axe body spray and set it on fire, damn pyro), and she really did not want to leave them up there for any longer than was absolutely necessary, for which they were very thankful.

She covered the fire with plenty of dirt with Kili and Bilbo's help while Balin, Thorin, Gloin, Bombur, and Oin started cutting the ropes and helping the others down with some difficulty, because their limbs had fallen asleep from how tight the ropes were.

The dwarves that had comprised the dwarf kabob a la troll showed no visible signs of injury or pain, upon a glance, but Sam didn't trust their outward appearance in that regard, she knew they would all be loathe to admit they were hurt until they were all safe somewhere far, far from here, and even then they would be loathe to admit it.

Sam was right, of course, because they were in fact, all hurt, Bifur a little disoriented in particular, but now that the immediate danger was past, they all just wanted to leave and then, maybe, tend their relatively minor (compared to past injuries, like a certain dwarf with an AXE in his skull) wounds.

Sam would have to worry about it when they got to Rivendell, in the meantime she figured she would help them gather their clothes and put their gear back on.

So, she set about gathering the clothes that the trolls had thrown about while undressing their dinner, sorting them into piles as she went, according to whoever whatever article of clothing belonged to.

As soon as she had gathered all of the clothes, and sorted them, Sam took them to their owners. She found it a little funny how easily she was able to tell what belonged to who, even being able to differentiate between the slightly different waist sizes of Bifur and Bofur's pants (Dori and Nori's pants, while having similar waist sizes, were different in length because Dori was noticeably taller than his older younger brother, if only slightly), which she blamed on helping them all wash their clothes the few times in the past few weeks they had bathed and washed everything. (talk about smelly, and their clothes had been so dirty Sam had had to sit there and scrub at an odd stain on one of Oin's shirts, to no avail, only for Gloin to be able to get it out with a trick he had learned from his wife)

Bofur and Bifur, looking a little worse for wear and definitely burned in places if the red and already peeling skin was anything to go by, looked surprised when she handed them both their clothes, having been stomping around, trying to get their circulation going again, however, their subsequent blushes had her a bit confused.

Sam handed out the rest of the clothes and got much the same response from all of the long john clad dwarves, all of whom had definite burns that she would need to talk to Oin about treating promptly later, Fili and Ori had actually looked a little mortified and blushed as red as beets.

"Ok, would someone like to tell me why you are all blushing like mad, just because I gave you back your clothes?"

They all waited for a moment, knowing Dori would answer the question.

"We are all blushing, Sam, because we are all in a state of undress, in our underwear," here Dori's voice rose in outrage at the utter inappropriateness of the entire situation," in the presence of a lady."

Sam's eyebrow had been steadily climbing her forehead during Dori's, predictably, overly dramatic mini-rant, the rest of the dwarves nodding at his words, until it virtually disappeared into her hairline.

She snorted the same way she had that night at Bad End when Balin and Dwalin had shuddered at the idea of salad, though now it was at their ridiculously exaggerated sense of propriety.

She then started to giggle at the ridiculousness of that thought, these dwarves had no problem burping, farting, fighting, being loud, or any other number of behaviors usually considered rude, and they were worried about her seeing them in long johns? Those long johns covered them far better than the speedos all of the boys of her highschool waterpolo and swim teams had to wear (after all, crack kills).

Dori looked affronted at her giggle fit.

"Well, what's so funny then lass?" Nori looked more amused by her snorts and giggles than offended, while Fili, Kili (who was sticking to his brother's side, to both their relief, having been worried when they were separated, even if it was only by a few yards, as worried about the flames as Sam had been), and Ori looked confused (while Dori fussed at him and Nori, both of them batting his hands away as he tried to help them get dressed, or when he touched a burned spot unknowingly), as did Bifur, Bofur, and Dwalin, and her outburst had drawn the attention of the rest of the Company, so they were all now listening.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just find the idea of you lot being embarrassed for being around me in your long johns utterly ridiculous, especially considering how immodest, according to Bilbo," she smiled an amused, while still very relieved, grin at the hobbit, who was safely standing near Gandalf," you have all been during our few opportunities to bathe so far, I mean, you all wander around shirtless with only your trousers on when we stop to wash ourselves and our clothes, remember how scandalized Bilbo was when you all did that the first time?"

They all simultaneously laughed and blushed at that, nodding in acknowledgment to the truth in her words, the hobbit in question looking slightly annoyed by the recollection of his indignant tirade at their lack of clothing with Sam around, which had been easily dealt with when Sam told them that she had seen all of her cousins in the same state of dress countless times, so she was unfazed, and Bilbo need not worry about it.

"So why care now?"

"Well, while you are right that most dwarves are not modest about their bodies the vast majority of the time, it is still considered inappropriate to be only in one's underwear in the presence of a lady, which is why we always had our trousers on. The only time it is acceptable for most dwarves to be in their underwear, or less in some cases, in the presence of mixed company is when we are swimming." Balin's explanation made sense, but Sam still found it ridiculous.

"Well, I still find it a little ridiculous, because I have probably seen more than a couple hundred men wearing far less clothes than you are right now, most with barely their privates covered, and not necessarily swimming." The looks she got made her quick to elaborate," Look, where I'm from it gets so hot that you can fry an egg on the ground at noon. People shuck off as many clothes as they can get away with to deal with the heat, so it is not unusual for a lot," she stressed those words," of skin to be showing. In comparison to what I am used to, you guys are way overdressed all of the time."

They all had to admit, if it got hot enough to fry an egg on the ground wherever it was she was from at noon, it was damn hot, but they still found the idea of their lass having seen so many nearly naked men bothered them, though it still did not seem to phase her in the least.

All of the dwarves shared a look that said they did not approve of that, most of them feeling protective of her in light of a situation that, to them, would have been incredibly rude and left the men in need of a stiff reprimand, preferably with a fist.

Sam huffed, "Alright, look, so long as I cannot see anyone's privates, I really don't care what they wear, so, as long as y'all are comfortable with that, you don't need to worry about me being offended or anything if you wear less than your trousers, but do whatever makes you the most comfortable, it doesn't matter to me."

The dwarves nodded at that, understanding that she was just not bothered by skin or a lack of clothes (apparently they had learned, after Gandalf had scolded them for the religion incident, to accept that she saw and did things differently), and continued to get dressed, Bofur and Bombur aiding the still slightly disoriented Bifur in getting his pants on (he gave them a signal to pull up on his pants while he stood there, only partially in them, nodding in thanks when they were satisfactorily pulled over his bum), as Sam went about gathering up their scattered weapons and getting their packs from their original campsite, all of the dwarves thankful that their lass was relatively unflappable in the face of things that would have had other human women up in arms in outrage, or even fear, like they undoubtedly would have been if they had been faced with a half dozen half naked dwarves.

/He Squeaked and Sawed and Quickened the Tune/

The troll hoard smelled worse than the trolls had. Sam wandered in, took a gander at all of the gold and crap, and was not impressed.

Sam was actually a little disturbed by the way the dwarves zeroed in on the gold, the three who buried the chest being very careful about it and particular about what they put in it, though it was a even more disturbing seeing the normally laid back Bofur act that way...she knew Gloin was fond of gold if his unwillingness to part with it when he lost a bet was any indication, and Nori, well, he was a thief for a reason, but Bofur...

Sam felt like their reaction to the troll hoard as an ill omen of things to come.

So she stood outside with the majority of the Company while Thorin found Orcrist, and Gandalf gave Bilbo Sting. The others were talking about what their next move would be when they heard a sound of something rushing towards them, and everyone ran outside, ready for an attack.

And out of the brush pops Radagast the Brown and his Rahsgobel rabbits, completely throwing everyone for a loop.

He acted more than a little odd, and smelled like weed, rather than tobacco, smoke. The dwarves were all looking at him quizzically, Dwalin muttering to Thorin about him looking more than a little crazy, especially after he coughed up a stick bug and smoke came out his ears.

Sam tried to ignore the feeling of foreboding she had, knowing that the two oddball wizards were talking about Sauron, the evil bastard, but she didn't get much time to dwell on that thought.

They heard the warg howl.

The Company immediately went on high alert, looking around for the threat, until they could hear the harsh sound of the great wolf-like creatures breathing, Dwalin and Bofur struck the two wargs when they smelt and felt their breath.

The chorus of more howls set them all even more on edge, if that was possible.

Then Radagast took off, to serve as a distraction.

The Company ran.

Sam had never liked running, in fact she hated it, but she could move when she really needed to, and even though she had never run with a heavy pack on her back or with a bow and arrow in her hands, now she ran like the hounds of hell were on her heels, which, in fact, they were.

Sam kept up with the dwarves, occasionally grabbing someone's arm, mainly Ori's or Oin's, to urge them to run faster if they fell a bit behind. Dori kept picking up Bilbo and flinging him further in front when he caught up with him, in an effort to prevent the short legged being from being left behind.

Sam, and pretty much every dwarf in the Company's, mental dialogue at the moment, as they ran for there lives, was pretty much,' Shitshitshitshit!' or,' Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!' or, simply,'Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!'

They hid behind a great boulder, some running into each other, or falling over their own feet when they tried to stop (dangerous business when they all had their weapons out), only to be hauled back up by another one of their companions, waited for Gandalf's signal, and ran some more, and this pattern continued until they got to a certain rock.

Up until that point Radagast and his rabbits had been doing an excellent job of keeping the orcs away, both by goading them on and by doing what should have been impossible moves for a sleight pulled by rabbits, but their luck was only bound to last for so long,

A warg, and it's rider, perched on the boulder they were hiding in the shadow of, sniffed at the air, somehow missing the smells of several sweaty dwarves and equally sweaty human, hobbit, and wizard.

Thorin looked around and listened, noting that no other wargs seemed to be nearby, then he nodded at Kili, and Sam, surprisingly, to attack, so they both nocked arrows to their bows, not yet pulling the string taut, waiting for the right moment to strike, Sam's fingerless gloved right hand flexing on the uniquely patterned grip of the bow that had become one of her favorite weapons in nervousness at her first time using it in battle, as Kili simply listened, focused on the task at hand, though he spared a look to give her an encouraging smile.

Kili and Sam looked at each other a moment later, having not heard their target shift for long enough, and nodded, thus, perfectly in sync, the two moved out from the shadow of the boulder, pulled their bows taught, took aim, and shot their arrows, all in the blink of an eye.

Kili's arrow pierced the warg's eye, killing it in one shot as the head and shaft of the arrow disappeared deeper into the socket, while Sam did the same to the orc rider, stomach churning at the sound of the eye popping and the choked sound the orc made as it fell.

Sam had just killed someone.

Oh God.

She didn't have time to dwell on that fact as the Company ran to a different boulder, after Bifur stabbed both the warg and the orc with his boar spear for good measure, the orc pack still unaware of their location, or the quiet death of their fellow, thanks to Sam and Kili's effective tag-team.

They saw Gandalf duck into a hole between two boulders and they all followed, like little ducklings following their mama, not expecting the almost sheer twenty foot drop.

They fell down the steep slope into the little cave, landing on each other with a smacking sound and no small amount of muttered curses, especially from the injured dwarves, making a pile very reminiscent of the one that fell through Bilbo's door.

The dwarves got up after disentangling themselves from the mass of limbs, grumbling quietly as they listened to see if they were pursued.

Dwalin hauled both Sam and Bilbo out of the pile and set them on their feet. He gave Sam a hard slap on the back and a pleased grin, not doubt glad that all of the time they had spent training had panned out in the end, both against the trolls and the orcs with their wargs. He noticed, however, the sadness and slight horror in her eyes, that something in them had changed and would never return to the way they once were; they never did after the first kill.

While, on some level, Dwalin regretted that he had taught her the skills she needed to kill, that he was partially responsible for Sam's loss of innocence, part of what had made her the way she was up until now, he knew that it was a necessary evil, a necessary loss, if one was to survive in this world. He gave the young woman a one armed hug and lightly tapped his forehead to hers, ever wary of the fact her bones were not as strong as a dwarves, giving her another, sadder, smile as she looked at him in surprise, no doubt remembering her lessons on dwarven culture from Balin.

To touch foreheads with someone was a public sign of affection, of your familiar relationship with that person, usually done with very good friends or family. For Dwalin to touch foreheads with Sam meant she was dear to him, though she didn't know quite how she had earned the honor (from Dwalin of all dwarves, who was known for being as suspicious of other races as Thorin, who only nodded at Dwalin when he had observed the action in regard to Sam) when dwarves were loath to admit they were fond of members of other races unless the friendship was profound, so that meant Dwalin saw Sam like a much younger sister and he did not care who knew it, though, indeed, the Company could only smiled sadly and approved of the public declaration of affection, especially in light of her first kill after having been under Dwalin's tutelage.

The relationship between master and student was an important one for dwarves, especially in the realm of combat training, because the skill of one's master could decide your fate, in one way or another, so for the student of a fighter to have survived their first battle unscathed and with a successful, clean kill, under her belt, meant that her teacher had been skilled enough to keep her alive, which was always something to be thankful for. It was also not unusual for students and their masters to touch foreheads, as they spent a lot of time together, and were, usually, bound to develop some type of familiar relationship.

All of that in mind, Sam was a little less surprised when her other combat tutors, Kili, Fili, and Nori came over and touched their foreheads to hers as well, each giving her a comforting smile (Nori earning his moniker of zorro all over again with his fox grin, pleased that she had done so well, though he grieved her loss of innocence too, for that was one of the few things he and Dwalin saw eye to eye on) and a little hug too. As they had aided Dwalin in her training, him being in charge when they helped, it was not as much of a boon to their teaching abilities and fighting prowess, but was considered an achievement none the less.

There were brought back to themselves at the call of a horn, and the unceremonious dumping of an orc corpse down their little hidey hole.

Thorin cursed,"Elves." when he pulled out the arrow imbedded in the flesh of the lifeless orc and examined the silver colored metal tip with a design on it.

"We need to go." Gandalf's statement was accompanied by Dwalin's cautious wandering down the little passage they could all see.

"This goes somewhere, tho' I ca' na' see where. Do we follow i'?"

"O' course we do!" Bofur started pushing his fellow dwarves towards the passage, everyone starting to move, hurriedly, because they did not fancy having another orc, or an elf for that matter, dropping in on them, especially in such a compact space.

Little did they know that as they walked into the open air at the end of the passage (Bifur having had to unstick Bombur from a narrow point between the walls) that they would come upon the beautiful site of Rivendell.

While the dwarves groaned and mumbled about 'pointy eared bastards' and 'tree humpers,' Bilbo and Sam stood near the edge of the ledge and just stared at the beauty of the Last Homely House and the beauty of the Valley of Imaldris.

It was like that opening scene from Jurassic Park, with the epic waterfall and birds flying around, and green, there was lots of green, scenery, but this was a more tame beauty than that opener had been.

The dwarves started to make their way down the little path on the side of the mountain, and before long, they were in the opening courtyard.

/While the Landlord Shook the Man in the Moon/

Sam and the Company, except for Gandalf, looked around the elven platform, some in awe, others in disgust. It gave an excellent view out of the valley, over a lush forest, and it provided a closer look at the waterfall.

The two non-dwarves both turned around in circles, their eyes wide as they tried to take in the view, their attention was diverted when an elf (an actual elf!) walked down the stairs and started talking to Gandalf, or Mithrandir, as they call him, in Sindarin.

...Sam was not impressed by the look of him, neither were the dwarves if their chuckles and mumbled insults were anything to go by, to be honest. He was tall and willowy, clothed in flowing robes of fine, shimmery, and kind of sheer, fabric. He had long, thick, dark brown hair, pulled back in a half pony tail with little braids hanging in front of his pointed ears (duh), brown eyes, and a fair, smooth face.

In other words, he looked like a slightly masculine girl. (ok, maybe not just slightly, but still, he was really girly lookin')

Sam could not help but think that she preferred the dwarves; they might be shorter than her, kinda chubby, and really, really hairy, but at least they looked masculine, even if they weren't typically considered attractive by human standards, not to mention she was fonder of their loud personalities in comparison to the purportedly quieter ones of elves.

Gandalf and Lindir's, apparently that was his name, conversation ended just as the sound of pounding hooves could be heard in the distance.

Gloin pulled Sam towards the protective mass the dwarves were forming as Bofur did the same to Bilbo, he pushed her behind him as all of the dwarves drew their weapons, prepared to fight.

Bilbo looked confused and scared by this as they were surrounded by elves on horseback, who formed a slightly menacing wall around the dwarves.

Sam only rolled her eyes at the suspicious nature of dwarves and the challenging actions of the elves, both races were guilty of making their already bad relationship worse.

The lead elf, Lord Elrond no doubt, dismounted near Gandalf and proceeded to speak with him in Sindarin, holding up an orcish sword.

The Company was still looking around suspiciously, grumbling to Sam and Bilbo about how elves were not to be trusted, when Lord Elrond approached them and spoke in Sindarin to Thorin, who was in the front of their bait ball.

Sam's hand on Gloin's shoulder was the only thing holding him back when he bellowed about being offered insult, but he had the decency to look chagrined when Gandalf translated that they were being offered dinner.

/"It's after three!" He said./

Sam was seated at the end of the table, between Nori and Bifur, with Dwalin and Oin beside Nori on her left, and Kili and Bofur with Bifur on her right. The other table, from whom they were separated by a small pedestal, Bombur sat at the end, with Balin, Bilbo, and Fili on one side, Sam's left, in that order, and on the right side were Gloin, Ori, and Dori, in that order. They were all sitting cross legged on little cushions on the ground at short legged tables, though Sam's legs were extended slightly under the table because, let's face it, her legs were longer and being that close to the ground, for her, was not a comfortable way to sit.

The table was set with beautiful plates, silverware, glasses, and other containers, all of which seemed to have caught Nori's eye, so Sam would need to keep an eye on him, they didn't need to be offending their host.

When some elven servers came out carrying large decanters of wine, Sam waved one of them over and asked for some tea before they left.

The dwarves were grumbling about the promised food not arriving yet, but they all filled their glasses with wine. Bifur, ever the gentledwarf, poured Sam's wine for her, though he gave her more than she would have liked.

She took a sip of the wine, and found she liked it, it was very smooth and did not have a strong alcohol taste, like a port, which was one of the few kinds of wine, besides desert wine and the occasional red, that she liked, always having been more of a beer or margarita girl herself.

The server then came back with her pot of tea. The dwarves looked at the pot, curious.

"Why di' you 'ave 'em bring ya.." Dwalin lifted the top of the pot and took a sniff," tea, lass?"

"Because, unlike all of you, I'm not accustomed to drinking mass quantities of alcohol." Ok, maybe she shouldn't have told them that, because all of them were now looking at her with devious grins, they better not be planing on getting her drunk.

"Oh really, Sam? And just how much are you used to drinking? Will you get drunk off of one glass of wine?" Kili looked terribly entertained by this new revelation about Sam, though, at the mention of her possibly getting drunk off of one glass, Dwalin, Oin, Bofur, and Bifur seemed to be considering just taking the wine away from her if she was that much of a lightweight.

Sam rolled her eyes," No, Kili, I won't get drunk off of one glass, though that is probably all that I will drink, cause I really can't say I fancy getting much of a buzz. And, to answer your other question, I normally don't drink at all." The older dwarves stopped eyeing her glass, looking at her with even more confused expressions.

"Why woul' you na' drin' a' all?" Bofur looked positively scandalized by the thought anyone, let alone a friend of his (because Mahal knew just how much it took to get any of them well and truly drunk) not drinking at all.

"Uh, well cause I don't really like feeling buzzed all that much, I just like the taste of some booze, but it's mostly cause my parents don't approve of me drinking much, so I just never have."

"Oi, you' parents sound like Dori when Ori was abou' two decades o' so younga', always fussing abou' how much he drank, back then 'e was, di' 'i for abou' five years, all because some dope a' a tavern gave Ori some Dorwinion brandy instea' o' mead once." Nori shook his head, sometimes he honestly could not believe he was related to Dori. They all laughed at that, having absolutely no trouble imagining Dori hounding Ori every time he drank something.

"Dis was tha' same way wi' Fili an' Kili afta' tha' incident wi' tha' hog, a pickle barrel, and tha tavern owner's daughter when they go' inta' Thorin's stash of hundre' yea' ol' whiske' from Rhun." Dwalin let out a belly laugh as Kili turned red in embarrassment, the others, aside from Sam, cackling in remembrance of the infamous incident.

Sam just gave Kili a raised eyebrow before she shook her head," I don't wanna know, I just do not wanna know." That only inspired another round of laughter.

"So why do your parents not approve of you drinking, then?" Oin had angled his ear horn back at her.

"Weeeellll, I have some mean drunks in my family, some who led productive lives and others who didn't, and I guess they didn't want to risk me becoming like them, but it's also because I'm a girl, cause they didn't seem to give a crap that my brother drank constantly. Damn double standards." They had not been expecting that, but shared a look of understanding with Sam.

Many a good dwarf had become slave to the drink after Smaug took Erebor, everything they had ever known gone, some of them changed completely, many forsaking their surviving family and friends in favor of spending any coin they managed to get on alcohol, becoming mere shades of their former selves.

"So, they didn't care your brother drank? Huh, why do humans treat their women so differently from their men?" Kili's question was met with general shrugs, even from their resident human.

Their conversation was cut short as the food came out, a large variety of breads and vegetables, though no meat, which had all of the dwarves mumbling.

The dwarves ate mostly bread with a little bit of salad, Sam and Bilbo happily munching away on the greens and bread, many of them drinking quite a bit of wine, though they seemed largely unaffected by it, although Kili, Fili, and Ori seemed a little more red in the face than the others.

It was while dressing his salad that Nori decided to nick a container of oil, making to put it in his vest when Dwalin wasn't looking and the others were otherwise occupied.

Sam's hand shot out, purely on reflex, and caught the wrist of the offending hand, Nori's head shooting up. She shook her head slightly at him and, with her other hand, took the oil container from his hand and put it back on the table without the others noticing. It was then she noticed just how badly burned his hand was, before he wrenched it away, giving her a small glare that quickly faded when she gave him a worried look, hiding his hand below the level of the table.

"You 'ave quick hands, maybe I shoul' teach ya how to make goo' use o' 'em." She knew he was trying to divert her attention away from his hand, and let him, but before she could reply Dwalin cut in.

"You'll na' be teachin' tha lass yer thievin' ways, Nori. She does na' nee' ta know any o' tha' ta survive."

Oin, Bofur, Bifur, and Kili started listening to the conversation.

"If'n she wants ta' learn, then who am I ta' deny 'er?" Nori's slightly cheeky reply and sideways glare annoyed Dwalin, who looked down his nose at the slightly shorter thief beside him, prepared to ask him if he had tried to steal something and if that was what started this ridiculous conversation, the others ready to diffuse the tension if need be, though they didn't have to because Sam chose that moment to reply.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you would Nori." Nori grinned like a fox, while Dwalin, and the others at the table, stared at her incredulously.

"Why do you want to learn how to steal?"

"Now, wai' a sec-"

Nori's retort to Kili's question was interrupted by Sam, as she answered," Just because he wants to teach me how to...surreptitiously relieve others of certain items on their person, or from various places where important items might be, does not mean it's stealing."

"Well, she's already go' tha idea of talkin' hersel' out o' trouble."

"Can it, Nori."

"Now, lass, 'ow is doin' wha' ya jus' described na' stealin'?"

Bofur and Bifur (who wasn't using their secret language because he didn't want the elves to learn it) looked more curious about her answer than worried about her wanting to learn such things from Nori.

"Espionage, information gathering, getting yourself out of tight spots cause you manage to sneak around without anyone noticing or something, those are all things that such skills could help you with, not just stealing, and besides, if stealing a key off of some bugger gets you out of enemy hands or something, it's more than worth it to learn how to steal." Even Dwalin could not argue with that logic, though he did reach across the table to smack Kili upside the head when he looked like he was going to ask Nori for lessons, too.

Nori was beaming, wishing that Dori could here her describe what his skills could do.

Sam continued," Besides, they're skills, they might not be readily applicable in the conventional way, but that doesn't mean they won't come in handy." She snorted," I'm kinda like a jack of all trades that way, always wanting to learn something new, cause you never know when it might come in handy."

"That's a good way of thinkin'. Now, Sam, would you also like to learn some of the healing arts?" Oin was sure she would say yes, and could use her help to deal with the injuries like those he could see on Dwalin's head, hands, and ears.

"Of course I would, Oin."

Their conversation meandered a bit from there until they all decided they were tired of the harps and breathy flutes, so Bofur got up and sang "The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late," a song that Bilbo had written and taught to them, all of the dwarves having taken a liking to the song.

Bofur sang it well, and with a little jig that had them all laughing.

They all started throwing food and singing along, even Thorin was participating since he had left Gandalf and Lord Elrond's table, though he kept sending Sam curious glances.

/Oh, Misty Eye of the Mountain below!/

While all of the others were having various conversations, Bilbo gaining a disgruntled look as a result of something Balin said, Thorin sat with Gandalf and Elrond.

Gandalf had almost given away the purpose of their quest when he mentioned they had been on the Great East Road and needed a map read, and Elrond had identified Orcrist as the Goblin Cleaver when conversation had turned to the Company.

"Such an interesting group, thirteen dwarves, a hobbit, a wizard, and that young woman. Wherever did you find her?"

Neither Thorin or Gandalf knew why Elrond was asking about Sam specifically, but they couldn't find a reason not to tell him about her.

"I introduced her to them, and thought she should come along on their journey, to provide sense when all other sense is gone." Gandalf gave Thorin a look, to which the dwarven king rolled his eyes.

"Hmm, she is most unusual."

They both looked at him, surprised by the statement.

"What do you mean she is 'unusual'?" Thorin was slightly annoyed on Sam's behalf, while he did find her odd and still wasn't quite sure of her, he would not suffer any member of his Company being insulted by an elf, no matter who they may be.

"One of her heritage is truly a rarity, one I had never actually thought I would see."

Now they were both confused, what did he mean 'one of her heritage?' And Elrond had never thought he would see it? He had lived for thousands of years, surely he had met a human before?

"She is just a human, so what do you mean by her heritage?" Gandalf was not often left in the dark by his friends musings, but it seemed that this was one of those few times he was.

Lord Elrond looked at them both, surprised to find honest confusion on their faces.

So he elaborated," One of such mixed race as she is, is most unusual."

"She is of mixed race?" Thorin looked at Sam, studying her without anyone noticing, he could find nothing about her that was physically odd, the only thing he could think of that could indicate she was of mixed race would be her height, and that would mean she was half dwarf. He paused at that thought, it would explain why they all got on so well with her...

Thorin was brought out of his musing by Elrond further elaborating," Indeed she is. She is part dwarf, elf, and hobbit, as well as, obviously, human."

Thorin and Gandalf's jaw dropped. What? How could she be a mix of all of those races? How was that even possible?

"How do you know this?" Gandalf could not believe he had not noticed such an oddity, but, how could a woman from another place, not of Middle Earth, be what she was, and what did this mean for the Company? The quest? For her? Did she even know? Gandalf was willing to wager his beard she didn't.

"Every race has a unique...aura, if you will, something they emit that identifies them as a member of their race, few can feel this aura, mind you, even I have only a rudimentary ability to detect it, but, her aura, it is unique, unlike any other I have ever felt, because it has aspects of every other race, and the only way she would have those is if she was of mixed race, of all the un-darkened, sentient races of Middle Earth."

Gandalf and Thorin were watching Sam, watching how she talked and ate with the dwarves, looking at the similarities and differences, considering what they knew of her and her family, of how she acted, and realized that she indeed did have qualities of all of the races.

She was short and stout like a dwarf, had a love of food and family like hobbits, respected and enjoyed the natural world like an elf, and, if considered without a second glance or more information about her, she would appear to all the world like a normal, human woman.

Both of them were flabbergasted by this, but, there was nothing to be done for it, it was not something that could be changed and, really, what harm could it do them?

Thorin nodded to the elven lord as he went to stand near his Company, drinking from a flask as he considered what he had learned about their only female companion, though he was soon distracted by Bofur getting up and starting to dance and sing, a smile coming to his face, even as he kept glancing at Sam.

If she was part dwarf, then she really wasn't all that bad, just like Kili had said at Bad End, a time that seemed so long ago, before he knew Sam and their burglar, and some of the Company for that matter, as well as he now did.

/Keep Careful Watch of My Brother's Souls/

Dinner eventually ended, with all of the dwarves grumbling about the lack of meat while the elves mumbled about the mess they had made with their food fight, only for the dwarves to make a camp and start cooking sausages and what not over the fire they made, though why Bifur was cooking lettuce, no one knew (though Bofur and Bombur thought it was because he was still a little discombobulated from his axe having been heated by the troll's fire).

Sam walked in on this scene after having talked to Oin and acquired some salve with which she planned to attack any burns she found with a vengeance, and her first victim of the night was going to be Nori.

She walked over to where Nori was standing by the railing of the veranda they were on, right in front of the freshly washed clothes of some of the Company that were hanging on a line (apparently no longer concerned about being seen in their long johns), and took his arm and dragged him over by the fire and forced him to sit down, all in the blink of an eye.

Nori's yelp at suddenly being grabbed and dragged drew the attention of the rest of the Company, their eyebrows raised, confused about why she was manhandling Nori, while Oin only smiled.

"Oi, wha' i' this all abou' then?" Nori stared at her as she plopped down next to him and gently took his hand, beginning to take his mitten off, realization dawning on his face.

"Now, wai' a minute, lass, you don' be needin-"

He stopped when she pointed a finger at him, with a face reminiscent of Dori when he was scolding someone, and said," Look, Zorro," the use of her nickname for him stilling his struggle to reclaim his hand," you're hand, not to mention other parts of your body, is badly burnt and it has been left untreated for long enough, so, whether you like it or not, I am going to rub this salve into all of your burns, and then," she eyed the rest of the injured dwarves, who recoiled slightly from her gaze," I will move onto everyone else in need of it, got it?" She sent another glare around the room, the dwarves slightly intimidated by the way she acted so much like Dis in that moment.

"Sam, why na' tend ta Dwalin firs'? After all 'e does 'ave a burn on 'is bald dome-"

"Hush, Nori." He shut up and let her continue to slowly remove his mitten.

Dwalin just watched her work off the mitten, amused by her behavior and her vehemence. "Why do ya care so much fo' a few wee burns?"

"Because I'll be damned if I let any friends of mine suffer for any reason, whether it be due to their own stubbornness," she glared at the now sheepish dwarves," or the cruelty of others, if I can do something about it, and I will do something about it, whether my help is wanted or not." She then proceeded to finish gently taking off Nori's mitten, looking up for a second with an apologetic smile when he hissed in pain, and began to gently rub the salve into the burns on his hand, his muscles relaxing as it cooled the warm flesh. "And they aren't wee burns, Dwalin."

He simply shook his head at her. Always surprising, their lass.

Oin only smiled at them all as he moved to treat the rope burns on Ori and Dori's wrists and ankles with his own salve, bemused by the way that the usually unruly duo, who would normally be arguing profusely about someone trying to treat their wounds, were willing to allow Sam to do so with minimal fuss, seemingly appreciating her worry for them the way they had only ever done with their respective families previously.

"I would listen to her lads, we don't want to anger a mother bear when she is being protective."

Oin's statement was met with laughs from his fellow dwarves, who could appreciate the truth and humor in the warning, Sam snorting while smiling a small smile at the admittedly accurate description of her behavior.

None of them them planned to fight her after that, though it did take some convincing from Sam, while she tended Nori, to get Fili, Dwalin, Nori, Ori, Dori, Bofur, and Bifur to agree take off the tops of their long johns, and to roll up the legs, so that the burns on their bellies, chests, and legs could be treated when she got to them (they were all as hairy as she expected them to be, thick carpets of hair on their chests, arms, legs, and backs, with a just as furry trail disappearing into their long john bottoms, and the only one who didn't have a round little pot belly was Fili, though Nori, Dori, and Dwalin had slightly smaller bellies), Oin treating any cuts or lacerations anyone had sustained while Sam focused on the burns.

All of them were surprised by her apparent protectiveness of them, which they knew was fueled by love, though they should have seen it coming considering how close she had become to the Company and her slightly, especially when compared to Dori, mothering tendencies, which she attributed to having to keep her brother out of trouble constantly.

So Sam rubbed salve into all of the burns on Nori's hands, arms, chest, ears, legs, and face, then moved onto Dwalin. The Company couldn't help but laugh as she rubbed the salve into his bald scalp like she was rubbing a genies lamp, proceeding to rub it into his ears and everything else, Dwalin blushing slightly just as Nori had at the gentle touch of her small hands (their hands were all double or more the size of hers).

She tended to Fili, Ori, and Dori without much fuss, except both of the younger ones blushed furiously as she touched their faces, chests, and bellies, Kili laughing at their expense the entire time until Sam put a dollop of salve on the tip of his nose, causing him to go cross eyed. The others just laughed at his expression, Sam grinning cheekily at Kili as he then proceeded to chase her around the veranda until Oin caught him by the back of his shirt and forced him to sit down.

Sam was rubbing salve into a burn on Bofur's shoulder when she started telling Oin about how they treat burns back home.

"Where I'm from is something called a semi-desert, and we have a real desert just over the mountains and in that desert there is this plant. It has these...fronds? leaves? I'm not sure which describes them better, but they are covered in a thick waxy skin with spines at the edges." Oin was listening raptly to her description of the medicinal plant, hoping he might be able to find it at some point. "When you open up these fronds, there is this clear, white-ish pulp that has a viscous, jelly-like texture that you scrape out of the frond, and for whatever reason, that pulp has been the best treatment for burns for generations back home, helping them heal faster and better than other rememdies, it's even better when you add something in it to dull the pain." Sam had just finished rubbing salve into the last of Bofur's burns and had moved on to examining the skin around Bifur's axe, gently touching his forehead, because it was tender and peeling, staying well away from actually touching the axe.

"What's the name of this plant?" Oin was very eager to find this plant now if it was that effective at healing burns, even though he probably wouldn't find it because it was hard to get desert plants.

"I know it as aloe vera, but I doubt that they call it that around here. Maybe one of these days, Oin," she finished salving up Bifur, all of her injured dwarves now tended, she sat back, speaking without thinking," when we retake Erebor and trade has been started back up again, we can find a merchant from a desert region and convince him to bring back plants, and maybe I can identify it for you."

She stopped talking when all of the dwarves started staring at her with a combination of hope, wonder, surprise, and happiness, leaving her rather confused.

She understood why they were looking at her that way when Thorin spoke for the first time that night, looking at her with a more vulnerable expression than she had ever seen him with," You speak as if you know we will retake Erebor. How can you have so much faith in our Company and our quest that you speak as if we already have? And you talk as if you intend to stay in with us in Erebor, after all is said and done."

Sam looked down, cowed by the honest emotion in their usually gruff leader's voice, noticing how the others were listening intently.

She opened and closed her mouth a few times before finally finding what she wanted to say," Well...Thorin, I...," she took a deep breath," I know we will retake Erebor," she said it with such conviction and fire that they believed her, not having any idea that Sam's faith was born of her knowledge of their world," granted, I don't believe for a second it will be easy, but I know we'll do it." The fire in her voice died when she continued speaking, twiddling her thumbs and looking up at Thorin with a pleading look, leaving him confused this time," And...I was actually going to ask you about that, Thorin...I was hoping, if it's alright with you, that I could stay in Erebor, once we retake it."

Now that made them all stare. She wanted to stay with them? That thought warmed all of their hearts, though none of them had ever thought that a human woman saying she wanted to live amongst dwarves would ever do that.

"You want to stay in Erebor? Live amongst dwarves for the rest of your life? Why? What about your home, your family?"

Thorin was not expecting, nor was anyone else, the lost expression that spread over her face as she turned to look at the moon, a longing expression that he was all too familiar with on her face.

He was not expecting what she said next.

"The truth is, Thorin, that I...I can't go home."

"Why not, lass?" Balin almost whispered his question as everyone stared at her with a mix or horror, sadness, and understanding, not that Balin needed to be much louder with the silence that had, for once, settled over the dwarves, the only sound the crackling of their fire.

She sighed, she had never planned on telling them how she had ended up with them, but she couldn't lie to them, they had done nothing to deserve that from her and she wasn't about to betray her dwarves like that.

"Because...to be perfectly honest, I don't know how I even ended up in the Shire that day I met you all, let alone how to get back home. And Gandalf told me I wasn't meant to ever go home again, so...I figure, if I can't go home, why not stay where I know I have friends?" She looked at them all fondly, her expression returned on every face, echoes of the pain of losing one's home and family in their eyes, their understanding of her situation only too apparent.

"But why not stay amongst humans?"

"Because, I don't know the ways of the humans here, I know more about how dwarves do things at this point that I do the local humans. Besides, I have always been happier around people who are different from me than people who are supposedly like me, because they don't expect the same things of me than my own do, and they are infinitely more interesting, with so many new things to learn." She smiled a sad smile," After all, if everyone was exactly the same, the world would be an awful boring place."

The dwarves were just beaming at her now, glad that she felt that way about them, and that they would not lose this precious young woman when all was said and done (though they were disheartened by the fact that she would never see her family again) if Thorin gave the say so of course, though he would have a rather mutinous Company if he denied her, his nephews in particular would be especially cross because Sam had become a dear friend to them.

She was someone who did not spurn their playful personalities and who appreciated them for being them, not because they were princes, or handsome, or any other reason they had had to contend with false friends in the past, but because she likes Fili and Kili, just the way they are, she had even told them that she hoped they never changed, because the world would be a darker place without either of their playfulness and their laughter and, despite how sappy that was, it meant the world to them that she thought of them that way, because no one else had ever told the princes that (even though their mother and uncle thought it, especially in Kili's case because Fili had inherited some of his uncle's seriousness and wasn't silly all the time), made them feel that special and important for just being them, not because they were royalty.

Thorin was not sure what to do with this new information, about Sam needing a home, about not knowing how she got to the Shire, about how she didn't know how to get home, about her wanting to stay with them, and about her faith in them, faith that even his own cousin did not share in.

He didn't know what to do with this information, but knew that he could not turn her away the way his people had once been, not knowing how she felt and what she was willing to give up for them by being on this quest, and he felt his last reservations about her fade with these thoughts.

Sam continued, unaware of Thorin's thoughts," But, if you want me to, I will leave, though I would gladly give up my claim to a portion of the treasure if I could stay."

That cemented it for Thorin.

"There will be no need for that, we would gladly have you stay with us, in Erebor, for the rest of your life, if you so wish." The Company cheered at that declaration, Sam staring at Thorin with a mixture of gratitude, surprise, and thankfulness, Thorin himself feeling emboldened and hopeful from the surety of his own words of reclaiming Erebor.

"And a long life it will be, as long as a dwarve's in fact." Gandalf's interjection took everyone by surprise, even more so when they processed what he said.

"What do you mean she will live as long as a dwarf?" Gandalf gave Thorin a look. "Does this have anything to do with what Lord Elrond said earlier?"

"What did Lord Elrond say earlier? And Gandalf, what are you talking about I will live as long as a dwarf? Dwarves live for hundreds of years, humans barely live to one hundred!"

Thorin looked at Sam, her lack of knowledge of her own heritage making itself known. Everyone else as confused as she was by this declaration, though the idea of not having to watch Sam grow old and die in Erebor as they stayed mostly the same was a very appealing thought, because the idea of their vivacious lass wasting away was not something any of them wanted to contemplate, though they had not doubt that the things they so loved about her would stand the test of time, until the very end.

Sharing a look with Thorin, Gandalf spoke," Lord Elrond mentioned at dinner something it is obvious that you yourself do not know about your heritage, that you are part dwarf, elf, and hobbit, not just human as we had all assumed, thus, you will live longer than any of us knew, the same amount of time as a dwarf by my and Lord Elrond's reckoning, given the mix of the various traits of your forebears."

They all just sat there staring at the wizard. Huh, that would explain a lot. The Company glad to know she was part dwarf because it meant that other dwarves would accept her more readily than if they thought she was just human.

"Wha-? But, but...but that's not possible...How can it be possible and my entire family not know?"

Gandalf simply shrugged at Sam's question, himself not knowing how it was possible, just accepting it as it was because he could do nothing else.

"The Valar work in mysterious ways, my girl, just take heart that you have found a home amongst those who you will not need to watch die through the years as you would any humans you would settle with, and that you are already well on your way to ensuring you will never be want of friends and companions in the long years ahead of you." Gandalf smiled at the still confused girl, as the Company nodding emphatically at his words.

They would not abandon her once they reclaimed Erebor, and they would be friends for years to come...none of the Company acknowledging the sense of foreboding that came with that thought, unbidden.

Sam only nodded dumbly, needing to process all that had just happened and she had just found out, looking around at her friends, taking heart from their pleased expressions as she bid them all good night and headed off to the room the elves had given her, the dwarves having spurned a similar offer in favor of staying close together, something Sam did not begrudge them, but she hoped having a bed to sleep on for the first time in nearly two months would keep her nightmares at bay and she would be able to sleep the night through without feeling heart stopping terror and sorrow.

/And should the Sky be filled with/

Alright, explanation time!

So, in the beginning Tolkien said that The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy were long lost histories of our world. Now we all know that there are no elves, dwarves, or hobbits running around, but, if Middle Earth is our past, then it is likely that, as dwarves and hobbits began to die out and less and less elves were in Middle Earth, those who remained would choose human spouses and produce half-elves/hobbits/dwarves/what have you and they would have children and they would have children etc, thus, the genes of the other races would become widely dispersed in the population over the course of time, and a large portion of the population would likely have the genes of all of those lost races because their children were probably more likely to survive than those of purebred humans, thus, working off of this, it is entirely possible that Sam is a mix of all of those races.

The reason she will be as long lived as a dwarf, however, is because her non-human genes have not been expressed because of a lack of need (except in her stature and her personality, and some cultural aspects were retained through time), so when the Valar brought her to Middle Earth either they activated these dormant genes or the magic that exists in Middle Earth activated them, because there is obviously no magic to activate them in our time, and those genes make her more long lived than pure bred humans.

About the aura thing, it's not a bunch of bull, not really, because all living creatures really do have auras, only they are nothing spiritual or anything like that, they are the small electro-magnetic fields produced by firing synapses in the muscles and nervous systems. The reason they would be distinct between the races are because they are all different sizes, with different muscles that vary in size and strength based on the physical necessities of the typical lives of a given race, and thus either their size or intensity or both would be different, so if Sam's does not fit into any size or intensity category, it stands to reason it is because her body has a combination of the traits that create the unique fields in the other races, and thus it is detectable that she is of mixed race.

And Lord Elrond can sense them because, well, he's Lord Elrond (he's badass like that). ;)


	5. Chapter 5

I cannot believe I wrote 38,000+ words in one week! Yeesh, I didn't realize how bored I was until I had something to do. Ok, enjoy the fruits of my mental labors and know that I don't have carpel tunnel yet.

Oh, btw, the new lyrics are from "I See Fire" by Ed Sheeran, a song from the second Hobbit movie.

Standard Disclaimers apply, enjoy!

/Fire and Smoke.../

_She tried to get to them, she tried!_

_But their were so many bodies and so much blood, she just kept sinking!_

_She heard him cry for them, for his precious boys, a broken sound, so unlike his usual strong baritone..._

_Why did this have to happen? Why did they have to die? Why hadn't she done something? Why, why, why, why..._

/Keep Watching Over Durin's Sons/

Sam awoke the morning after the night of revelations from another nightmare, augmented by her memories of her first kill and all the emotions that came along with it, apparently the bed did nothing for her inability to sleep through the night.

She found she had woken at dawn, as usual, and looked around her room, the dawn light making the elven decorations and painting shimmer, and bring a warmth to the room that Sam had found it lacked initially.

She got dressed in only her tunic, vest, and pants, foregoing her boots in favor of going barefoot, as she was used to doing back home, both because her feet hurt from wearing them and they needed to air out after having been worn for so long.

Sam left her room and began to wander in the general direction of the Company's camp, taking in the early morning beauty of the valley and the buildings, the breeze ruffling her already slightly messy hair as she walked.

When she got to the camp she found all of the dwarves, because she, Bilbo, and Gandalf had taken the offer of rooms, still sound asleep, no doubt worn out by the events of the previous day, their injuries, and the emotional upheavals of the previous night's revelations, which she was still having a hard time processing.

She would live as long as a dwarf? Did that mean she would stop maturing at a faster rate then? Was this because she was in Middle Earth? She bet it was, and that she would stop maturing at a normal human rate, because whatever had made this happen, the Valar no doubt, probably did it because they intended for her to stay with the Company, even after their quest had come to an end, a little distressing considering what she knew would befall them.

Sam was as haunted by what she knew would be the fate of the royals as she was by her own nightmares, unsure of what she should do, so she did what she had been doing since the beginning, push those worries and thoughts to the back of her mind because she just didn't know what she would do, or even could do, because she had read the book when she was in elementary school and barely remembered what happened, and the third movie hadn't come out yet when she left.

She was brought out of her musing as Kili turned over and mumbled nonsensically in his sleep from his position next to Fili, kicking off his blanket in the process, exposing the fact that he wore only his trousers and a light shirt that were as rumpled as his perpetually wild hair, a slightly bothered look on his face.

Smiling softly, Sam crept over to the young prince she could not stomach the thought of losing, weaving he way through the many bedrolls and dwarves lying on the ground, and pulled his blanket back up to his shoulders. Kili simply huffed, his face smoothing to a small smile, and burrowed his face further into Fili's golden hair, settling back down as the other dwarves continued to snore.

Sam decided she would wander about until it was time for breakfast, not having expected to find Estel (aka Aragorn, in munchkin form) playing on the grass in the cool morning light. He seemed just as shocked by her presence as she was by his, until she crouched down to be shorter than the about ten year-old's level, introducing herself. (he was a bit confused as to why she wasn't wearing shoes, but eventually decided he would join her in her barefootedness)

Sam spent the rest of the early morning with the boy king, telling him many of the same stories she had told the dwarves, playing games, singing songs, and promising him she would bring him some of the toys that Bifur and Bofur had been making to pass the time.

She ended up having breakfast with Lord Elrond and his family (Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen, and, of course, Estel) instead of the Company, because the precocious child tugged her by the hand to their table because he wanted her to finish the story of The Lion King, and ask her questions while they ate.

Breakfast with the elven family was much quieter than what she had grown accustomed to, but she was pleased to discover that Elladan and Elrohir were very playful with Estel, distracting him from his many questions about the dwarves, Bilbo, herself, and their quest, and that Lord Elrond was a very loving, if, at times, stern surrogate parent.

And Arwen, how did one describe Arwen? She was graceful and polite and beautiful, but she was also armed with a sharp tongue and clever wit that Sam had fun dueling with when they started discussing her dwarves, Sam always defending them while still admitting to their faults, since their was no point in lying or pretending they weren't there, making some good points against the elves in return, many of which Arwen conceded were true, especially of other elves, like those of Mirkwood, such as looking down on other races and not always being charitable, Sam quietly thankful she had not managed to insult anyone. (the elves themselves were surprised by Sam, not expecting her, as a companion of the dwarves, whom they admitted they had a slightly negatively biased opinion of, to be as clever and perceptive, or as, well, old and wise seeming, though also energetic and friendly, as Gandalf had described her to be, him having overheard her conversation with Bifur and Gloin when they were burying Freya)

When Arwen brought up the "unreasonable" distrust the dwarves had for elves, Sam couldn't help but point out that their antagonistic behavior, such as letting them believe that elves subsisted on naught but green things and bread when there was ham and pheasant on the breakfast table to prove otherwise, was not helping and only perpetuated their distrust, because they saw such tricks as insults and disrespect.

The elves, with some sheepish grins and belly laughs (they were far more impish and mischievous, and had much better senses of humor, than she had been led to believe), conceded the point and promised her that some fresh venison and mutton would be provided to the Company by way of an apology for their antics, as would some fresh supplies, including pre-made medicines and other medicinal supplies (Oin would be asked what he wanted and would be taught how to make or use what the elves thought would work best for their journey, especially for Sam and Bilbo, as they weren't dwarves and could not quite be treated for injuries like dwarves), for their journey to show they really did wish to be friends and allies to the dwarves, even if they would continue to have a little fun at the dwarves' expense.

Needless to say, Sam was very pleased by this because she had actually managed to accomplish what Balin had originally thought she would be able to do for the Company, despite the continuing silliness from the elves, but it's not as if she didn't know that her dwarves would retaliate, so, it was all in good fun as far as she was concerned.

When breakfast was done Estel was dragged off to do his lessons, and Sam continued to wander, not seeing any of the Company or Gandalf, though she did find Bilbo in the library, where they spent a few hours talking and reading, Sam learning quite a bit about the history of Middle Earth and the different regions in the process.

Around noon Sam was doing some more wondering, trying to find the Company so she could have lunch with them, only to hear their loud voices from around a flight of stairs.

Sam did not expect to see what she did when she rounded the edge of those stairs.

They were all butt naked.

Butt naked, playing in a fountain.

Their pasty white asses were blinding in their intensity. (except Dwalin's, cause his was covered in tattoos, ouch)

Sam stood rooted to the spot in shock, unable to turn away due to a mixture of horror (sorry Oin and Balin, I love you two, but...ew), curiosity, and...interest? Maybe? She honestly didn't know at the moment, and probably would not allow herself to figure it out anytime soon because she had absolutely no experience to speak of in sifting through what she was feeling right now, and figured it would only cause issues if she did, so she tried to banish those thoughts as she took in the scene, partially against her will.

She first noticed that Thorin was conspicuously absent. (she was thankful for that, honestly, because that would have been all kinds of awkward)

Nori was standing in front of the fountain, she could clearly see his ass and muscles (it occurred to her that dwarves had very compact, muscular frames, cause they all had short torsos that were kinda bulgy, though some of that was definitely fat), noting that he was decidedly more lithe looking than his fellows, other than Fili and Kili, despite his own tummy, the muscles in his back rippling as he bent over and laughed at the dwarves that were playing three tier chicken.

Bofur was on top of the stack on the right, his strong, muscular arms poised for combat (the blue, patterned band tattoos Sam had found out he had around his biceps last night, clearly visible), in complete contrast to his round stomach, sitting on Bifur's shoulders, who made sure he had a good grip on Bofur's thighs, that looked to be as muscular as his arms (derail that train of thought immediately, thank you), Bifur looking much as his cousin did in terms of muscle, though his stomach was bigger, Gloin was on the bottom bearing both of their considerable weights, trying to keep his balance, his face nearly as red as his hair, his body having more defined muscle that the two he carried, but still, he had a good sized belly.

Ori was on top of the dwarven stack on the left, his slightly smaller frame apparent in contrast to the others, on Oin's shoulder, not quite as muscular as his brother, who was grinning like a hyena, with Dori on the bottom, the muscles on his arms and chest bulging, despite looking like he was carrying something no heavier than a sack of flour.

Bofur and Ori commenced having a slap fight, trying to knock each other over, when Kili and Fili, looking as lithe and built as they did in their clothes (Sam was still a woman for crying out loud! She couldn't help but certain notice things...cue intensified blush) made a huge splash as they landed in the level of the fountain next to the dueling dwarves, after having slipped down the bowl at the top like a water slide, both doing back flips before coming back up cackling with glee, especially when they saw Balin's face after Bombur's cannon ball had only augmented their huge splash.

Balin had tried to cover his head in the level where he had been relaxing quietly, but to no avail, as he was soaked anyway, the commotion causing Ori, Oin, and Dori to fall over, cursing and yelling at Kili and Fili.

Bofur, Bifur, and Gloin were giving victory calls as they laughed at the drowned rat looks that their friends now sported. All of them started cracking up even harder when they heard Dwalin yelp because Nori had managed to whip his ass with what looked like a shirt, before beginning to chase him, cursing up a storm, yelling about annoying thieves and star haired ninnies, and a variety of far less savory names in Khuzdul and Westron.

Sam had only turned redder when she had seen Fili and Kili stand up, getting a good gander at their royal jewels whether she wanted it or not, as she was still stuck to her spot by the stairs, only to dive bomb the dwarves on the lower level, causing a water fight complete with copious amounts of splashing and dunking, Nori and Dwalin still not noticing her presence as Dwalin eventually caught Nori and they started wrestling (butt naked, mind you, both apparently enjoying the view if their expressions were anything to go by) laughing and cursing at each other some more.

Somehow, someway, she unfroze herself from her spot and sprinted back around the stairway only to nearly collide with Lindir and Lord Elrond, both of them noticing her beet red face with a tinge of concern on their now curious faces.

"Whatever is the matter, Lady Sam?" Lindir had evidently not gotten the memo about how she had asked all the elves in general to just call her Sam.

Sam, looked up at them for a moment, still a little flustered from what she had just witnessed; she took in a breath and slowly let it out, becoming a little less red, Lord Elrond only raising one perfectly manicured brow in amusement of her behavior.

She finally answered them, a little cryptically, but hoping they would heed her advice all the same," Let's just say that, around that corner is something I did not need to see, and you don't need to see either, if you don't want to end up mentally scarred for the rest of your very long lives."

Sam quickly walked away, apparently finished talking, leaving behind some very confused elves who simply starred after her before looking at each other, and taking a peek around the stairs. Their eyes widened as they took in the dwarves desecrating a fountain with their shenanigans, abruptly pulling back, both wishing they had listened to Sam, now sure they were indeed mentally scarred for the rest of their very long lives.

/If This is to End in Fire/

Sam ended up making herself some lunch, mostly because she couldn't find anyone she knew and did not fancy eating with people she didn't, so she made herself two ham and cheese quesadillas, some tea, and took an apple to round out the meal. She ate right in the kitchen, where one of the elven chefs ended up finding her munching on her lunch.

They ended up talking about food, after Sam had explained what she was doing in the kitchen and what she had made, she couldn't help but think that Bombur, and definitely Bilbo, would like this particular elf.

Sam was asked how her dwarves liked their venison and mutton, which she had an idea of because they had managed to kill some deer and wild sheep on their journey to Rivendell, when she had discovered that Bombur made a spit roasted venison with juniper berries that was to die for, but Sam was responsible for introducing the Company to rosemary and garlic with mutton, and all they had to say after having devoured it had been yum as they patted their full bellies; Thorin had decided that, at that point, if he ever liked anything about her it would definitely be her cooking. She had told them to thank her father, and his previous job as a chef (at a Greek restaurant, long before she was born) for that particular piece of culinary inspiration.

The chef, Ninina, also asked her what kind of provisions would be most appreciated by the Company, as the she-elf was in charge of what food stuffs they would get. Sam told her the people to ask about provisions would be Balin, Thorin (who really needed to learn more about the logistics of such journeys through experience, rather than just having Balin deal with it because it tried his patience), and Bombur, because the cook of the Company has to be able to make good food out of what they get and be able to make it last, reasoning that the she-elf entirely agreed with.

Sam and Ninina continued to talk about food after their "business" discussion was over, Sam teaching her how to make tortillas from water and flour, describing their many uses in different dishes, also describing how to make dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), chile relleno, and bao (Chinese bbq pork or chicken buns), as well as how to make steamed dumplings, fried rice, and the like (most of her friends back home were Asian, and they lived in Southern California, so these kinds of foods were normal fare to Sam).

Ninina actually started writing down everything that she was saying, asking questions to get the particulars of the techniques and nuances of the flavors so she could attempt to replicate them with what she had available, Sam ended up asking her if she would be willing to make two extra copies that she could give to Bombur and Bilbo, which Ninina agreed to, if she kept talking. Sam had only snorted and laughed at that, continuing as her new friend demanded.

/Then We shall All Burn Together/

Sam went back to her rooms a few hours before dinner was to be served (Ninina said she was going to try to make some of the food she had described, as well as the venison and mutton the way her dwarves liked it, and some of the yummy sides she had described that would go with them) after having been told that a bath had been drawn up for her and that all of her clothes would be washed, the elves providing extra clothes for her to wear in the mean time, if she left them in the sitting area of her rooms, which was separated from the bedroom by a set of double doors.

Sam had gladly gone ahead and left her clothes in the sitting room, settling in for a nice, warm bath, but she had noticed something as she undressed, she had lost a lot of weight. A lot of weight.

She had been more than a little plump when the quest for Erebor had began (size 14 hips and ass with barely a B-cup up top, oh the joys of being Sam) and now she was way skinnier, likely due to all of her training, the days of riding and walking when the terrain was too rough, and just doing a lot of very physical stuff she hadn't really had to do before, not to mention the lack of sleep, though she felt like she had done well, all things considered, not complaining or slowing them down, which was a miracle in her book.

It might also be because she had routinely given Bilbo, Fili, Kili, and Ori some of her food for the entire journey because hobbits simply ate more than humans, especially for their size and the trio of younger dwarves were still growing, according to Oin, so they needed all the food they could get to support their growing bones, muscles, and, God knows, their brains.

Coming back to herself, Sam realized she had not been this skinny since, well, ever, she could actually see her hip bones and the muscles of her legs were defined, she could make them out under the skin when she flexed, instead of being cover by fat. It was more than a little weird for her, having never had skinny thighs in her entire existence, but, she figured, at least it meant she could eat as much as she wanted at dinner, cause it probably wouldn't be good if she lost anymore weight anyway, and she didn't need the dwarves and Bilbo fussing about how skinny she was or how much she was eating.

So Sam settled into her nice, warm bath, feeling the warmth seep into her tired muscles, relaxing tension Sam had not realized was there. She washed herself off with some soap that smelled of lavender, a soothing scent at the worst of times, especially when Sam remembered how the acres of lavender had looked on the hillsides of the San Joaquin Valley in the spring, making the perpetually brown foothills beautiful, even if only fleetingly.

Sam washed her hair with a shampoo that made her hair feel healthier and thicker than it had in ages, she attributed this to the elves ability to make potent concoctions of all sorts, and was surprised to find that it made her hair curl just below her shoulders blades ( it had been just above her shoulders when they had left Bag End, she was sure of it, so had it really gotten that long so fast? must be her inner dwarf asserting itself, she might just need to put Dori's braiding lessons to good use), much like Bilbo's did, just longer with the curls less compact, but still noticeable.

She got out of her bath, dried off, and went to find the clothes she had been told would be left for her, only to find a dress. She shuddered much the way Balin and Dwalin had the night she met them at the mention of salad, because Sam wearing dresses had been the one argument her mother had never been able to win.

Sam grumbled to herself upon finding that they had left no other options for clothing and, thus, she put the damn dress, and her clean underclothes, on. She found the dress to be more comfortable than she expected, not terribly tight fitting, the bodice of the dress falling just above her hips, giving her a nice silhouette without being too clingy, but still, it was just too...girly for her tastes. Yes, Sam would wear dresses occasionally for special occasions, but she would change out of them immediately when she got home, never lingering in them longer than was absolutely necessary. She preferred pants and a t-shirt to a blouse and skirt any day of the week.

But, Sam was stuck, all of her clothes had been handed over to be properly washed, so she had to wear the dress.

Damn.

/Watch the Flames Climb High/

Sam arrived at dinner fully expecting to be teased for wearing a dress, as she had been in the past by people she would never see again, but was pleased to find she was wrong.

The dwarves had been more than a little dumbstruck by their lass, never having seen her look so...so feminine.

She was a beautiful sight to see, especially in the eyes of the younger dwarves, all of them blushing slightly (Kili more than the other two) as they took in the sight of her in a way they had never seen Sam before, her hair glossy and thick looking, hanging loose and curly, surprisingly, around her shoulders, longer than it had been when they first met.

The dress accentuated her wide hips while making her shoulders appear less broad with the way the sleeves and bodice were cut. They were a little confused as to why she was barefoot, but her cute, yes cute, little feet (everything but her height was little compared to the dwarves) just made them chuckle.

What they found most enchanting about the entire vision she created, though, was her eyes, they shone a bright grayish-green that seemed to morph to sapphire blue, to storm cloud gray, to jade green as the light of the setting sun touched her face at different angles as she moved, the grayish blue dress just making all the colors of her eyes pop more.

Her tan cheeks red with a blush as they stared at her, her pink lips curved into a shy smile, exposing just her top teeth as they had noticed all of her honest smiles always did, as they began to tell her how beautiful she looked, and treated her more like a lady than they had since their journey began, causing her to blush more and try to tell them it wasn't necessary but they insisted, such a beautiful lady needed to be treated properly, she finally gave in when Dori bowed and offered her his arm as he escorted her to her seat and poured her some wine before returning to his own seat, the same one as the previous evening.

Thorin could only stare at the woman who he had only ever known as a sarcastic, slightly crass, and kind tomboy, Gandalf and Lord Elrond terribly amused by the spectacle they made fussing over her, especially Gandalf, knowing they had never done so before, for being a woman or otherwise (unknown to any of them, Arwen had picked the dress for her, to try and elicit this exact reaction from the dwarves, knowing that the color and cut would be spectacular on her, accentuating her femininity, regardless of the fact she did not seem to sort to wear dresses).

The only thing that bothered the Company was how much thinner she was now than when their journey began, something made obvious by the dress being far more tight fitting and hiding less than her usual clothes did, all deciding simultaneously and unanimously that they would make sure she ate well tonight, and that they would make sure she ate her share when they started traveling again, because they had all noticed how she gave the Kili, Fili, Ori, and Bilbo portions of her food, kind though it was, they could not allow her to continue to lose weight, because her health was just as important as everyone else's.

So they all eventually sat down in the same seats as the previous night, Sam being brought tea without having asked for it, grateful that the elven servers had remembered.

She sat the same way she had the previous night, knowing that the proper way to sit in a dress, with your feet and lower legs swept to the side, would be very uncomfortable at the short tables and so she simply did not do it, not that anyone seemed to mind.

All of her dwarves were glad to see her after having not seen Sam all day, though she had seen them (even if they didn't know it), having grown used to being with her all day, all the time in the course of their journey, her absence was duly noted and missed by all.

Sam was still surprised by how they had reacted to her in the dress, because, honestly, compared to other women she had seen and known, she was rather mediocre in the looks department (short, chubby, big on bottom, small on top, round face, and, usually, bleh hair, not exactly an inspiringly beautiful combo, her only redeeming trait were her eyes, the only physical aspect of her that routinely got compliments, not to say she cared overly much for appearances in the first place, but, still, it's always nice to get a compliment now and then), at least by the standards she had grown up with.

And yet she had never adhered to those standards, in her own appreciation of other's personalities or physical forms (she tended to like loud, sociable people, much like her brother since young women tend to be attracted to men most like the male they were closest too growing up, though with a healthier dose of kindness that her brother had, and she liked men that could eat, because all of the guys in her family were big eaters and a little on the chubby side, and tall, but that was negotiable), or in her own looks, so maybe that was just working for her now, or the beauty standards of Middle Earth were completely different from what she thought they were (maybe it was because they didn't have all the makeup and hair crap that people used to alter their appearance so they appreciated people au natural more? hm, food for thought).

Sam sat pondering all of these things, listening with half an ear as the dwarves at her table argued about the pros and cons of long bows, short bows, and cross bows in close combat (Sam adding in her opinion of crossbows, they were all well and good when you are far enough away to have plenty of time to reload a bolt, but, up close, the time it took to reload could be the same amount of time it takes your enemy to kill you, to which they had agreed), until the food was brought out.

The looks on their faces when they saw the platters piled high with mutton and venison, were utterly priceless.

They only got better as bowls of roasted vegetables (onions, carrot, potatoes, and other veggies, things she knew Ori would eat), roasted garlic mashed potatoes, tortillas (those confused them, not knowing what the flat discs of bread were, even more so when Sam tugged the plate of them set at their table closer to her, smiling contently), baked yams, and various other dishes (many of which Sam had described to Ninina how to make, amazed that she had been able to replicate them so quickly) were set upon their tables.

Thorin, realizing that they had been duped the night before, after taking in the luxurious spread, simply glared at Lord Elrond, who smiled and said," Young Samantha pointed out this morning, when she had breakfast with my family, that our little jests at your expense were not conducive to friendly relations between our peoples, so take this feast, the mutton and venison, I am to understand from what my head chef, Ninina, told me, prepared the way you and yours prefer according to Sam's descriptions," Thorin looked at the meats in question realizing that, they were in fact, made the same way that Sam and Bombur had made on their journey," as a sign of goodwill and that we mean no harm. Sam had also mentioned," Thorin was now very grateful for the woman, more so than he had been the night before when he had invited her to stay in Erebor, because she was accomplishing things in the way of foreign policy that no dwarf, especially himself, would have been able to pull off with the elves, no doubt by simply being herself," that additional supplies would be greatly appreciated, so Ninina will be seeking you, Balin, and Bombur, I believe, to discuss appropriate foods stuffs. Myself and some of my fellow healers will talk to Oin and provide medicinal supplies, familiar and new, so that you all may be well taken care of if any injuries are to occur."

Thorin only nodded dumbly as Gandalf smirked, smug that Sam had proven her usefulness in an ambassador like capacity so easily. Thorin could barely believe that Sam had managed all that over a breakfast table, would that girl ever stop surprising him and proving him wrong?

"Oh, and Master Oakenshield," Lord Elrond took on a slightly disturbed expression, causing both of his tablemates to become confused," would you please talk to your Company about the...inappropriateness, if you will, of playing, as naked as the days they were born, in the fountains, in broad day light, when anyone can, and did, see them."

Thorin turned bright red, his eyes widening, mortified at just what his Company (sans Bilbo and Sam, of course) had been up to when he had been exploring, as Gandalf started howling with laughter, both at the description of what had happened and his tablemates' expressions.

/Into the Night/

The entire Company turned and stared at Gandalf as he cackled like the crazy old man that he was, curious as to why Thorin looked terribly embarrassed and Lord Elrond looked like he'd eaten an especially sour grape, before they were distracted by a female elf walking up to their lass, whispering in her ear, earning a giggle and a thank you as she handed Sam two little books, that she promptly tucked under he legs so she wouldn't forget them.

"Why di' tha' she-elf han' you those wee books, Sam?" Dwalin's question was garbled by his mouth full of mashed potatoes and, what looked like, mutton, even as the sentiment was echoed on all of the faces of the dwarves at her table, even as they all stuffed their faces with the food (apparently they liked the tomato and cheese salad, as it was gone, as were the greens cooked with bacon and the squash casserole), wondering why the meats tasted so like what Sam and Bombur had made for them on the road.

Sam rolled her eyes, giving Dwalin a slightly reproachful look, both for the comment and his poor table manners," Her name is Ninina, and she is the head chef of Rivendell, and, thus, the reason, besides Lord Elrond, you're eating such good food. I talked to her today in the kitchens when I was eating lunch there, alone, because I couldn't find any of you," they all looked a little chagrined at that, giving her apologetic looks for having ditched her to wander Rivendell alone," and we talked for a few hours about food, which led to her knowing how to cook the venison and mutton the way you lot like," their eyes brightened at that, glad that she had spoken to the elf if all of the good food now sitting before them was the end result, though they still didn't trust elves at large, and would prefer she not be left alone with them again, lest they try to steal her, or Bilbo for that matter, as he was fascinated by the elves and their library if the snippets of conversation they could hear coming from the other table were any indication, away, " and she wrote down everything I said and described, so I asked her if she would be willing to make two extra copies that I could give to Bilbo and Bombur," all of the dwarves now looked excited and grateful for her request of Ninina, especially Bifur and Bofur because they knew how Bombur would appreciate her thoughtfulness, at the thought of Bombur getting his hands on so many new food ideas, because they would all reap the benefits of it later," which she agreed to, on one condition," she gave a look around the table, dramatizing everything for her own amusement, the dwarves expressions darkening, no doubt thinking 'damn, sneaky, selfish elves, they always want something in exchange for any kindness', " that I keep talking," she grinned impishly at their surprised, then sheepish, expressions, realizing that she had tricked them by playing off of their obvious dislike of the elves, causing them to think that maybe they should try to stop being so prejudiced if it allowed them to be manipulated so easily," which is why she gave me these little books," she took them out from under her legs and waved them at the dwarves, whose eyes watched the little books hungrily, even as they continued to stuff themselves as she talked, their eyes reminding her of those cat clocks where the eyes and tail go back and forth as the clock ticks," which have everything I said and described in them, as well as room to be filled with new, or familiar, food related ideas." The dwarves looked very pleased with this, Sam finally noticing that Nori, Dwalin, Bifur, and Bofur's burns looked much better today than they had the night before, apparently Oin's salves working quickly and efficiently when augmented with the better healing ability of dwarves.

Bifur noticed she wasn't eating as she talked, having not dished herself any food before or while she had been talking, just nibbling on her single tortilla and sipping her wine when she paused, he assumed she had told the elf how to make the flat, floppy bread as he had never seen it before, anywhere, and decided to give her a heaping portion of meat and roasted veggies, topped off with a large dollop of mashed potatoes.

Sam's eyes widened at the amount of food Bifur piled on her plate, staring at it for a second, before looking at Bifur with a raised eyebrow and a quiet thank you, as she poked at the mountain of food with her fork, unsure how to tackle it, knowing she would not be able to finish it because he stomach was just not that large.

Bifur just motioned for her to eat, the other older dwarves nodding at her to do the same, Nori poking her shoulder to egg her on, prompting her to slap half-heartedly at his hand (she didn't want to aggravate his burns).

Kili pointed at her with the fork he was using to shovel food into his mouth, his mouth now full, slightly garbling his speech," Don't even think about giving me some of your food," little bits of food were flying out of his mouth, prompting Bifur and Bofur to slap him upside the head simultaneously, drawing an annoyed look from the younger dwarf as he continued," your too skinny now because you kept giving me, Fili, Ori, and Bilbo some of your food on our way here. You need to get some meat back on your bones."

All of the older dwarves rolled their eyes at Kili's blunt honesty as Sam groaned, her head rolling backwards on her shoulders so she could roll her eyes at the sky (predictable, they had already noticed she was skinnier and would not doubt try to force feed her now, explaining why Bifur had filled her plate).

"Ugh, fine." Sam promptly cut off a piece of her mutton, shoving it into her mouth, all of the dwarves laughing at her for being so dramatic.

"So what else have you been up to today?" Oin angled his ear horn towards her as he took another bite of food.

Sam grinned as she finished chewing, she was going to have some fun with them," Well, I was almost blinded to day." They all stopped eating, food dropping out of Bofur's mouth, staring, horrified at her declaration, though, when she kept grinning, they grew suspicious, eyeing her skeptically.

"How di' tha' almos' happen then, Sam?" Nori's expression and tone of voice made it obvious he knew she was up to something, though she knew he had no idea what she was gonna say.

"The glaringly bright pasty whiteness of your collective asses almost blinded me when I happened upon you lot goofing around, absolutely butt naked, in that fountain." Sam grinned like the cat that got the cream as Oin spit out the drink of wine he had just taken, all of them turning towards her as one, their eyes wide in shock, turning redder than beets, especially Kili, mortified that she had seen them all in the buff, food either falling out of their mouths or off their forks.

The conversation at the other table quieted as they noticed the state of their fellows, Fili throwing a tortilla like a frisbee at his brother's head when he didn't answer his call, the tortilla smacking Kili in the head, bringing him out of his shock, making him turn to look at his brother. Fili looked at his brother in confusion, noticing how horrified and red he was, while Sam was just giggling her head off, almost falling off of her cushion.

Kili looked at Fili and mouthed 'She saw us.' at him, leaving Fili confused, until realization dawned on him, his face morphing into a copy of his brother's, the dwarves at his table now asking him what was wrong, which he whispered to them, the same rigid posture, beet red and horrified faces overtaking them all, as they looked back at Sam, who only laughed harder.

Bilbo started ranting about dwarves and their lack of manners and proper behavior around a lady.

Eventually they all relaxed, turning a little less red and looking less mortified as Sam accepted all of their apologies for their behavior with a smile, apparently not really phased by having seen them naked. They all continued eating, rubbing the back of their necks when they gave Sam additional apologies.

When Thorin, however, went to each table to reprimand them for their behavior, and heard about Sam seeing them from Bilbo, he made sure to give them a tongue lashing they would never forget, as Sam just started laughing again at their expense.

/Calling out Father, oh! Stand by and We will/

In an effort to further improve relations with the dwarves, Lord Elrond invited the Company to mingle with the elves of Rivendell, after they had finished their dinner, to share songs and stories, and do a little dancing. The Company accepted the offer and the little impromptu party was soon underway.

The dwarves took turns playing music on their instruments with the elven musicians, the elves of Rivendell and remaining Company members dancing around, Bilbo showing off a few Shire dances, singing Shire songs when bid, garnering loud applause at the end of each performance.

During all of this Sam had sat on the sidelines, enjoying the spectacle made by the usually opposing peoples getting along (she couldn't help but think of a line from the Billy Gilman song "Shades of Life," 'the color of peace is people together,' feeling that it aptly described their merry gathering), as well as enjoying the contrasting styles of music and different kinds of dances all of the people knew.

Eventually the Company requested that she sing a song for them, it took some convincing, but they eventually got her to sing. She decided on singing "Wake Me Up" by Avicii, which got her an uproarious applause of her own.

The dwarves then proceeded to drag her around the dance floor, passing her from dwarf to dwarf to hobbit to wizard and back again, twirling and spinning her in the complicated dances they knew she didn't know, tossing her up in the air to earn a laugh and a squeak from their lass.

Elladan, Elrohir, and Lord Elrond stealing Sam away temporarily just to bother the dwarves, Thorin reclaiming her for the Company, Kili eventually stealing her from his uncle, only to give her a final twirl and dip before allowing the obviously winded Sam to retreat to one of the balconies, the cool night breeze refreshing after being in the now stuffy room with everyone.

It was then that Sam realized that she had forgotten to ask Bofur and Bifur if she could have the toys they had made to give to Estel, but she promised herself she would ask before the night was out, because they no doubt would want to polish them up before giving them to the boy.

So Sam stood there, appreciating the view of the valley and the moon, as a thought came to her unbidden, they would be leaving in a day, and they would be continuing their journey to Erebor, which meant that Bilbo would soon find the One Ring.

It was then she remembered what that would mean for her dear hobbit, that his soul would be forever burdened by the evil of that ghastly thing, eventually warping his mind much as it had Gollum, forcing him to go to the undying lands instead of living his life as he should have, in the Shire, with Frodo.

A dark feeling over took her heart, much the same as the one always caused by her nightmares. How can I hope to fix this? To protect him without altering the timeline too much? Oh God, what do I do? I can't let Bilbo suffer that fate, not now, not when he has become so dear to me, my heart would not allow me to let that innocent soul suffer so, like I told the Company last night, I will not allow any friends of mine to suffer if I can do something about it, but, how the hell do I manage that now?

Sam let her head fall into her hands, as at a loss of what to do to protect the hobbit as she was the her king and the princes, because, truly her was her king now, having invited her to live in Erebor, and she would follow him anywhere, but would protect him, and, now, Bilbo, as best she could.

Lord Elrond found Sam like that, head in her hands, some tears on her face as she despaired about what to do, when she felt his hand on her shoulder she jumped and whipped around, only to be hit with an idea of how to protect her dear Bilbo.

"What ever is the matter, dear Samantha? One should not be despairing when her friends are enjoying themselves, when all are safe and sound. "

She wiped the tears and steeled herself for the request she was about to make, one she really had no right to, but now that the idea was in her head, she could not allow this opportunity to go to waste.

She took a deep breath as she began to speak," All are safe and sound now, Lord Elrond, but I fear that they will not remain that way for long." Concern covered the elven lord's face now, no doubt wondering wear these fears were coming from," Lord Elrond," she paused, unsure how to tell him of her nightmares, to tell him of the foreboding that now over took her upon remembering Bilbo's fate," since the day we set out from the Shire, I have been plagued by nightmares, every single night. They always wake me at dawn, leaving me terrified and wracked with a sorrow I have never known before in my life, though those feelings were magnified ten fold one night when we heard the calls of orcs. No one had been able to wake me from my own personal hell until Bifur sang me a lullaby. Lord Elrond," his face was no longer covered in just intense concern, but also with a weary pensiveness, because he was trying to figure out what her nightmares meant, and why she was telling him this now, her tone became beseeching and lost as she continued," just now, on this balcony, I felt the same feelings I have only felt in my sleep up until now and, unlike with my nightmares, I know for whom I fear and worry so, for Bilbo, Lord Elrond. I have this awful, foreboding feeling that something horrible will befall our dear hobbit and I am not sure what to do."

Lord Elrond paced the length of the balcony, the look of pensiveness and concern not having left his face.

"This news of your nightmares is very concerning, Sam, and should have been shared sooner," he gave her an admonishing look, to which she ducked her head," but I am glad you have told me now, before you are to far away to help, and that you have confided in me this foreboding feeling you have for Bilbo. Now, you have been having these nightmare since the outset of your journey, and I assume that Oin had attempted to give you something to help you sleep, but to no avail," he looked at her for confirmation of his assumption, she nodded," and so they continue, but you don't remember what they are about, only the horrible feelings they produce." again, she nodded, his brow furrowed deeper," This is troubling news indeed, I fear, my child, that you are not having nightmare, but visions, omens of things that may yet come to pass, and these fears for Bilbo are much the same, different though they are. Do these feeling impart an knowledge upon you about the fate of our dear hobbit?"

"No, I only feel like some great...unspeakable... ancient, evil will do him harm of the worst sort, upon his very soul." She paused, preparing for the request she wanted to make, knowing it might not be granted, or even possible, but she had to try," Is there not something that can be done, Lord Elrond? Is there some, I don't know, talisman or some such that can protect him from the influence of evil? Help keep his soul safe if not his body? Anything?" Sam was crying again, she was terrified that there was no way to protect Bilbo from the effects of the Ring if she failed, that he would be doomed as soon as he found the thrice damned thing, and there would be nothing she could do, not before or after, nor ever, to keep him from suffering. She prayed that Lord Elrond could help her, help Bilbo, and that all would be as well as it could possibly be in the end.

"There may be something of that sort, that I can provide to protect him," Sam's shoulders slumping in relief," but," that blasted world almost destroyed her new found hope," I will need to...do some research, to make sure it can protect him from the kinds of evils you have described." Sam's tears began anew, though now they were tears of relief and happiness, Lord Elrond, his face softening at her obvious, honest concern for her friend, lifted a hand to wipe away the tears from her cheeks, and continued, softly," If all goes well, I will be able to give it to you, because he should get it from you and understand why it is being given to him, by tomorrow night." Sam was so glad that everything had gone so well that she launched herself at Lord Elrond and gave him a hug, as big a hug as someone her size could give, burying her face in his robes as more tears leaked from her eyes as she mumbled a slew of thank yous and I'm so gratefulls.

Lord Elrond, while not quite expecting that reaction, was a father, and, as such, had dealt with such a reactions before, especially since Estel had come into his care, so he simply wrapped his arms around the young woman, whispering to her," You are more than welcome my dear child, if more people cared as much for others as you obviously do for your Company, this world would be a better place." She looked up at him then, not having expected being complimented for simply caring about others, that was as natural to her as breathing, she couldn't help but worry for her Company, they were her friends after all, and she loved them, they deserved to be worried about if she could do nothing else. Lord Elrond wiped away her tears with the edge of his robe, looking down at her softly, like her own father had done to her in a time that seemed so long ago," Take heart, Samantha, the actions you have taken to protect Bilbo have occurred early enough in your journey that, whatever darkness you happen to find, he should be safe, and, if not because of the talisman that I will provide, then because he, and all of your fellows, will have you at their side. They could not have asked for a more fierce, nor devoted, protector."

Sam wanted to argue with him, tell him that he was wrong, that she couldn't protect them, not from what was coming, not from the evil that was Azog, that was Sarumon, that was Sauron, not when she could barely protect herself, not when she was just some college kid that got dumped in Middle Earth because the Valar, for some crazy, non-sensical reason, thought she could help this world somehow, when she didn't even know what she was supposed to do.

But she didn't tell him any of this, because her fears and doubts would tell too much, expose her for what she was, a girl from some far away place, that was not from Middle Earth, and that she knew more than she should.

So she just nodded at him, giving Lord Elrond one last squeeze before backing away, wiping at her tears, slightly mortified that she had hugged him, an elven lord, but glad he had taken it well, trying to calm herself so that she did not alarm the Company with her now disheveled appearance.

Lord Elrond gave her a comforting look before giving her a peck on the forehead, something she had not expected him to do in a million years, but taking comfort from the fatherly gesture, before he walked back inside, back to the party that was quickly winding down.

Sam took a few more moments to collect herself, to come up with a reason for her obviously red eyes should anyone ask, and walked back inside.

She was promptly asked why she looked like she had been crying, answering that she had gotten something in her eyes, from the greenery no doubt, that made them water and that she was fine.

She redirected the conversation by asking Bifur and Bofur about the toys they had stashed in their packs, telling them that their was a child in Rivendell that would undoubtedly appreciate their handiwork.

Sam's heart lifted at the light that appeared in the two toymakers' eyes as they grinned with smiles as bright as the sun, telling her that if she was going to give them to the boy come morning, then they would need to polish them off tonight, and they would leave them out for her to bring to him, thus they bustled off, talking to each other about what still needed to be done to the toys to make them truly finished, the rest of the dwarves laughing at their antics, asking her about the child she spoke of.

She and the Company talked a little more before they all bid the elves good night, Lord Elrond sending Sam a comforting smile, them heading off to their camp and she to her rooms, where she discovered her freshly laundered clothes and a note telling her to keep the dress, to which she snorted, tucking the books that Ninina had given her into her pack before changing her clothes and flopping into bed, out in seconds.

/Watch the Flames burn Auburn on the Mountainside/

Another chapter done.

The fountain scene happened in the deleted scenes of the first movie, though I took some liberties with it because it's a little too blurry to make out which dwarf is which, for the most part, and I added in some of the antics.

I hope you enjoyed reading this.


	6. Chapter 6

Alright, this is a really long one, sorry about that, but life has been a little more bonkers than normal lately, and will only get more bonkers until the beginning of April probably, but I will try to get out at least a chapter a week, but no promises. (is three buts in a sentence gramatically copacetic? (eh, who cares)

Warnings: there will be threats of rape later in this chapter, as well as graphic descriptions of torture related injuries, if this is something you can't handle or don't like, you are fairly warned

Standard Disclaimers apply!

Enjoy!

/High!/

The rest of the Company arrived at their inter-Rivendell camp to find Bofur and Bifur carving fine details on to and sanding down their toys so the boy, Estel, would not get splinters, happily working away on the slowly dwindling pile of not quite finished toys.

Despite the Company being full from their delicious dinner, and a little drunk on the strong elvish wine, Thorin still had a mind to berate them for their behavior earlier that day, regardless of the fact that he had done so at dinner already, and nothing awful had come of it.

"What were you thinking? Butt naked in broad daylight, in the middle of a city, mind you, in a fountain! What made you think that was a good idea? Balin, why didn't you stop them? Why did you join them in their ridiculous shenanigans?"

Bifur and Bofur stopped working as their king looked at them all, expecting some kind of explanation, especially from the blushing and very sheepish looking Balin, who had his head bowed slightly, a hand on the back of his neck as he tried to come up with a response.

Dori, for once, said nothing of the inappropriateness of what they had done, because he was just as guilty as everyone else.

"It was hot around midday today, Uncle, we just wanted to cool down and have a quick wash."

Kili was not helping the situation.

"You were hot and needed a bath?! So you decided to hop in a fountain?"

"To be fair, Uncle, we did find the most out of the way fountain that we could, it was hidden behind a stair well in the far reaches of the city, we didn't think anyone would go wandering over there in the middle of the day when most people are having lunch, especially not Sam."

Fili was not helping either.

"Did it not occur to you that she would seek you out for company in this foreign place, especially for a meal? And Sam was not the only one who saw you! Lord Elrond and that elf Lindir saw you as well!" The corners of his mouth twitched up slightly, recalling Lord Elrond's description of what had happened, deciding he would have a little fun with his Company for the embarrassment they had caused him, because, honestly, Elrond's expression when he had been describing their shenanigans had been hilarious, as was the expression he imagined on Elrond's face when had had seen them all in the fountain. (see, he does have a sense of humor, sometimes)

"In fact, Sam warned them against going around those stairs, Lord Elrond said, and I quote, that she had said, when they had asked her what was the matter, 'Let's just say that, around that corner is something I did not need to see, and you don't need to see either, if you don't want to end up mentally scarred for the rest of your very long lives.' Lord Elrond felt that he and Lindir should have taken her advice, for they are both now mentally scarred from having seen twelve utterly naked dwarves in broad daylight."

The Company gawked at him for a moment, before all of them started laughing so hard they fell backwards, flat on the floor, rolling around for a few minutes.

"The lass would say something like that!" Gloin was wiping the tears of mirth from his eyes as he laid spread eagle on the floor, still chuckling.

"Aye, she woul'! Always a smart ass, tha' one! An' those two gettin' scarred was their own doin', after all, she gave 'em fair warnin'!" Dwalin's laughs had almost subsided when Nori's statement just made him laugh more from the truth of it.

Kili's laughs were winding down when he said," Of course we scarred the elves, their minds cannot hope to comprehend the majesty and outright sexiness of dwarves!"

That statement only caused another round of laughter, even Thorin was chuckling heartily. (maybe they were a little more drunk than they thought, especially considering what Kili just said)

Their laughter eventually subsided, Bifur and Bofur going back to their toys, the rest readying for bed, taking their clothes off the line, or having a smoke (since they tried to refrain when Sam was close by after having been warned by Oin about how it could harm her sensitive lungs) before turning in for the night.

While he and Fili were setting up their bedrolls and changing into their night clothes, Kili pondered what Thorin had been told by Elrond that Sam had said about having seen them all naked. Could she really find them that unappealing? Everything that had happened up until today seemed to point to her liking dwarves, and he had assumed that also extended to her finding them attractive, at least a little, after all, she had not swooned, as he had been told human women often do, in the presence of the elves, nor had she made any comment on their looks in general, in fact, on their first day in Rivendell he had seen her eyeing that Lindir, giving him a once over, and her facial expression had said, at least to him, that she was not impressed. Maybe she just preferred human men? No, he didn't think she would prefer them after having found out she would live as long as a dwarf, actually, shouldn't that make dwarves more appealing to her, because she knew she would not need to watch them die more quickly as the years went by? Was it because of their height? Or their manners? Or because they were hairy? Was it because most dwarves are big and broad, many having a bit of a pot belly?

Kili could not honestly imagine any of those being a reason that Sam would not find dwarves attractive, she wasn't a woman who seemed overly concerned with looks, but with things of substance, like honor and kindness (and probably sarcasm), if what Bifur and Gloin had told them about their conversation with her before they were attacked by the trolls was true, which it undoubtedly was because neither of those dwarves would lie to the Company, not about something like that, especially concerning Sam. Besides, Sam had not seemed disgusted when she had seen then in their long johns, nor had she seemed disgusted when half the Company sat in only the bottoms of their long johns, at her request in fact, their half-nakedness, hairiness, and chubbiness not having seemed to phase her, when other human women would have fainted in disgust, or fear, he knew, because some humans seemed to believe that dwarves were dishonorable beings that would do them harm if given the chance, an assumption dwarves had run into among human settlements for all of Kili's life, but an assumption that Sam obviously did not ascribe to, she had only ever been curious about them, and had been kind and understanding every step of their journey, no one who treated them like that would assume such things about dwarves, she would not trust them if she did.

But the question remained, why had she said what she said? Was it said only in jest? Or had she said it to cover up something, to draw attention away from her own reaction? Did she actually consider dwarves attractive and was ashamed of it? Or did she simply think it was no one else's business but her own? Kili smiled at that thought, because that sounded like something their Sam would think, and something for which she would provide a smart ass comment to accomplish, the warm feeling in his chest at that thought, much like the one he had had that night at Bag End, told him that it was the right one, which made him inexplicably happy.

Kili didn't know why he was feeling what he was or why he was asking himself all of these questions, but it was something he was not going to trouble himself about, because something told him all would be revealed in time.

Kili was brought out of his reverie when Fili threw a boot at his head, smacking him right smack dab in the face.

"Ow! What the? Fili! Why did you throw a boot at my face?" Kili rubbed his nose as he scowled at his now giggling brother, who was laying on his bedroll right next to Kili's.

"He's been trying to get your attention for the last few minutes, the boot was his last resort." Fili nodded through his laughter at his uncle's statement, delivered in a perfect deadpan manner, drawing snorts and laughter from both of his nephews. Thorin looked at his younger nephew, amused by both of their antics, but curious about what had the usually attentive (for all things not related to lessons or politics) and energetic Kili sitting still in thought.

"What were you thinking about that had you, of all people, so focused, nadadith?" Fili only smiled cheekily as Kili rolled his eyes before tackling his older brother, a wrestling match ensued, earning a familiar eye roll from Thorin, who noticed that the three of them were the only ones left awake in their camp, giving him an idea.

"Nothing you need to worry about, nadad!"

All questions and curiosity were soon forgotten as Thorin got in on the wrestling match, the rare show of blatant affection and playfulness taking both of his nephews off guard (how much wine had he drank?), though they took full advantage of the rare opportunity, teaming up on Thorin, Fili getting him in a headlock while Kili tickled him mercilessly, until all their rolling and fumbling around ended up with them rolling over Dwalin.

"Woul' ya' three royal idiot's knock i' off an' go ta' sleep! Mahal's sake, ya three are ridiculous!" Dwalin rolled over and went back to sleep as the three Durin's laughed, and did just as he suggested.

They all bid each other good night, and fell into a peaceful sleep.

/And if We should Die Tonight/

_He held her hand as he died, his eyes, once so full kindness and warmth and humor, growing dark and dim, like her world would soon become without him to bring it light._

_He looked up at her as he died, his face, once so full of joy and mirth and laughter, becoming rigid and pale, like her world would soon become without him to bring it life._

_He smiled at her, one last time, as he died, his heart, once so full of love and sincerity and honesty, becoming still and empty, like her world would soon become without him to bring it love._

_He cried for them, one last time, as he died, his mind, once so full of intelligence and loyalty and honor, becoming broken and weak, like her world would soon become without him to bring it strength._

_He bid her goodbye, one last time, as he died, his voice, once so strong and sure and comforting, becoming cracked and distressing, like her world would soon become without him to bring it warmth._

_They all died, for the first and last time, as part of her died with them, once so happy and safe and loved, becoming lost and despondent, because without them, her world would never be the same._

/Then We should All Die Together/

Sam woke from another nightmare, her face covered in tears, sobbing, barely able to breathe, she was sobbing so hard.

She found herself regretting her decision to sleep in these rooms, apart from the Company. They were a balm on her rankled nerves every time she woke from a nightmare, bringing comfort and a feeling of safety to her, something she sorely missed at the moment.

So Sam got dressed, still going barefoot, and headed out to the Company's camp, the early dawn light calming her slightly.

She found her dwarves, predictably, sound asleep and snoring, Kili and Fili curled into each other more than usual, no doubt due to the cooler temperature this morning, all of the others in clumps.

Sam rolled her eyes fondly, looking for the toys she would be giving to Estel, as promised, courtesy of Bifur and Bofur.

She was surprised to find a little note pinned to the bag of toys, when she found them, telling her to wake Bofur and Bifur, because they wanted to meet Estel and give him all the toys with her.

She smiled, the warmth in her chest at their desire to meet the child, because those two dwarves absolutely adored children, and any chance to make them smile and laugh, helping to ease the remaining terror she felt.

So Sam gently began to nudge the two toymakers in their shoulders with her bare foot, and when that didn't work, she tugged lightly on Bofur's mustache and Bifur's beard, and when that didn't work, she yanked both of their noses, causing them both to suddenly bolt up, sputtering, looking around, confused in their sleepy state about what in the world would grab their noses and pull.

They looked up to find Sam, smiling at them with that now infamous cheeky grin of hers, finally understanding after a moment that she was the one that had woken them up, not some unknown nose grabbing creature, just the devious woman with a sharp tongue and sharper wit standing before them.

Bofur gave her a light glare, Bifur getting up, mumbling in Khuzdul about women being crazy, as he put on his boots, before offering his cousin a hand and hauling him up.

Sam was immediately comforted by their familar presence, the terror of her nightmares fading as they got themselves sorted in a routine she had come to know well over the past few months.

The three quietly made their way through their friends, after grabbing the bag of toys, before heading back to the hidden garden Sam had met Estel in the day before. (had it really only been a day?)

They found Estel there waiting for her, though he was a little unsure of the dwarves, hiding behind Sam, peeking around her to see, as she introduced him to Bifur and Bofur, though they won him over in no time flat, Bofur being his usually charming, silly, and sweet self, taking out the toys and showing them to Estel, lying on the grass and playing with the boy as Sam sang songs to narrate the story they were using the toys to play out. Bifur won him over when he showed Estel a bird toy that flapped it's wings when he turned the wheel at the bottom (it was the first one he had made, but he had all the designs and calculations safely written down and stashed in Bombur's little cookbook, now wrapped in oilskin to protect it from the elements), Estel was fascinated by the toy, sitting raptly on the ground, spinning the wheel so he could watch it move, the mechanical parts absolutely amazed him, so Estel started asking questions for a good ten minutes, all of which Bifur patiently answered and Bofur translated.

They had been playing for a few hours, both Bofur and Estel tired from all of their romping around, when they asked Sam to tell them a story after they had gone over and plopped next to where she and Bifur were sitting, watching.

So Sam told them a story, "The Rise of the Guardians," and just as she had finished singing "Still Dream," the end song, Elladan and Elrohir came and found them, so Estel went and had breakfast with his family, while the dwarves and Sam went and had breakfast with their Company (which was slowly becoming, and by the end of their quest likely would be, their incredibly odd and somewhat dysfunctional, patchwork family), the elven twins telling Sam that their father would seek her out later.

/Raise a Glass of Wine, for the Last Time!/

At breakfast they were met by a bunch of still slightly groggy dwarves, none with hangovers from all the wine they had drank, but feeling a little awful all the same. The Company was glad to see the trio take their seats at their end of the joined table, Thorin seated in the middle, with Balin and Oin on either side of him.

The food was brought out and the dwarves were, again, treated to a wide variety of foods, some of which they had never seen before, but were incredibly delicious, soon finding out that Sam knew what the mystery foods were, because she had told Ninina how to make them.

"So, Sam, what is this burrito thing?" Balin was pointing his fork at the odd looking packages made of the flat bread from the night before, looking at it skeptically, after Sam had identified it by asking for one.

Sam's burrito sat on her plate as she answered Balin's question," A burrito is like...well, a little package of food. It's any filling that you want, for the most part, wrapped up in a tortilla so you can eat it on the go."

"Really? What's in these burritos then?" Ori looked like he was tempted to try the new food, but wasn't sure he wanted to until he knew what was in them, he didn't want to risk it being something green.

Sam promptly took a bite of hers, making a pleased sound at what she found inside, swallowing, she told the table," These are what I consider a standard breakfast burrito, fried potatoes, bacon, sausage, some onion, eggs, and some peppers for some kick to wake you up."

Satisfied with that answer, as this food apparently contained many of his favorites, Ori grabbed one and took a bite, finding it to be delicious, and saying as much after he swallowed, many of the Company grabbed one and tasted it, finding that their resident scribe was right.

Kili, Fili, Bofur, and Dwalin all took seconds of the burrito's, while Dori, Bifur, Bombur, Balin, and Oin seemed to have taken a shine to the pancakes with nuts and fruits in them, drizzled in a berry syrup. Gloin, Nori, and Thorin preferring the peppery sausage gravy that sat in a gravy boat on the table, following Sam's advice of making a stack of biscuit, egg, meat of their choice, and potato on top, before dousing the entire thing in gravy, the stack becoming a delicious mix of flavors.

After finishing his second stack of deliciousness, Thorin spoke," Sam, I wanted to apologize to you, again, on behalf of the Company for their behavior yesterday, and to thank you for warning Lord Elrond and Lindir about what was waiting for them behind the stairs, despite the fact that they didn't take your advice, and will suffer the consequences for the rest of their lives." The Company blushed slightly, Bilbo grumbling again at their lack of manners, though they all took on, for what felt the millionth time, looks of confusion at what Sam was doing.

Sam was looking around and behind her as if she was looking for something or someone.

"Sam, what, or who are you looking for?" Bilbo had a sneaking feeling Sam was up to something, as she usually was when she was doing something odd.

"I'm waiting for all hell to break loose as the world begins to end."

There was a stupefied silence following that statement, some of the Company beginning to look around as well, most notably Fili, Kili, and Bofur.

Thorin only stared at her, eyebrow raised, as Dori asked," And why would the world be ending, Sam?"

She looked at them all with a very matter of fact look on her face," Because Thorin just apologized to and thanked someone all in the same breath, and if that's not a sign of the apocalypse, I don't know what is." Once again, she had gotten them with her dry sense of humor and flare for the dramatic, her cheshire grin giving away the more obnoxious part of her nature.

The Company was laughing so hard at what she had said that some of the elves came to see what was up, only to find the dwarves, except for the chagrined and trying not to smile Thorin (because she was right, he almost never apologized or thanked anyone, let alone in the same breath), laughing their heads off, both sons of Fundin falling off their chairs, the irony too much for them to take, Kili and Fili trying to contain their giggles as their uncle glared at them, albeit not as scarily as usual.

Ori wasn't sure if he should be laughing at his king, but the Company, and both of his brothers (who greatly respected Thorin and would not suffer any true insult toward him) were, so he allowed himself a few giggles. Bofur and Bifur were rolling on the ground, Bombur, his belly jiggling with the strength of his laughter, supporting a listing Bilbo, who could not, for the life of him, prevent the laughs from escaping, the truth of them not allowing their somewhat rude nature from amusing him to no end. Oin whacked Thorin on the back, because, anyone who knew Thorin at all knew exactly how true that statement was. Gloin was again struck by just how much Sam reminded him of Dis, Thorin silently noting the similarities himself.

The king sighed, a small smile finally fighting it's way onto his face, Fili and Kili's smiles becoming brighter at it's appearance, Thorin spoke, somewhat despairingly," Why do I get the feeling that you and my sister Dis will get along swimmingly?" Sam just grinned at him through her own laughter, he knew she was glad she had gotten him to smile, himself surprised with how he was acting less rigid around his Company in these moments when they were all together as friends, not as king and subjects, or leader and followers.

Thorin continued, now mildly amused by the picture forming in his head of Dis and Sam conspiring together to cause mischief, not unlike Fili and Kili, after Sam snorted, her facing going red just as Dis's did when she was either incredibly mad or laughing so hard she couldn't help it," And that you will join forces in trying my patience with your own hair brained schemes and inane shenanigans." He sighed again as more laughter followed his statement, everyone who knew Dis finding they liked the idea, and the fact that it was so easy to imagine, as much as he did, unable to keep himself from chuckling at the image of the two working together, an image he hoped, minus the hair brained schemes and inane shenanigans, would become real, sometime in the relatively near future.

Breakfast continued, after the dwarves had picked themselves up and stopped laughing, all of them becoming very full and happy that the elves were no longer trying to convince them their assumptions about their eating habits had been right.

Eventually Thorin, Balin, and Bombur were called away to discuss supplies with Ninina, Oin going to meet with the healers about the promised medicines, the rest of the Company left to do as they would, ending up sitting around a grassy lawn.

/Calling out Father, oh!/

Sam, Fili, Kili, Ori, and Bilbo sat down, tired, after having been playing a game that was like capture the flag, Sam and Bilbo had to get past the three dwarves and somehow get a coin out of one of their pockets. Sam almost succeeded a few times (pleasing Nori, who had only taught her the basics of how to pick pockets before the game, glad that she seemed to have a bit of a knack for sneaking around and that her reflexes were as quick for getting away as they were for grabbing things, he would just need to work on softening her touch though), but, in the end, Bilbo had gotten the coin from Fili, having figured that they hadn't given it to Ori or Kili because they had both wondered off alone at some point in the game, someone always with Fili for protection, while Sam distracted the three by throwing things at them and mocking them.

"Tha' was a goo' job o' stayin' away from tha' enemy an' knowin' jus' how ta' distrac' 'em ta' get wha' ya' wanted." Dwalin's compliment made Sam smile, if tiredly, while Bilbo blushed," Bu' you three," the young dwarves cringed, knowing they were going to get reprimanded for losing such a simple game to people who had not been trained most of their lives, and for underestimating them," you lo' shoul' 'ave known betta' than ta' go underestimatin' those two, regardless o' how well ya' know 'im. Any enemy 'as tha' potential ta' be tha' one tha' kills you, underestimatin' 'em only gives 'em opportunities they shouldn' be gettin' in tha' firs' place." Dwalin gave them all a glare that they shrunk away from, knowing he was right.

Nori cut in," Tha' was a goo' job on gettin' the coin from them, you two." Nori gave the non-dwarves a sly grin," I can see why Gandalf wanted ya' for our burglar," Bilbo blushed some more," and Sam, tha' was certainly no' bad for someone who jus' got the basics of pickpocketing a few minutes before ya' started, but ya' nee' ta' soften ya' han' a bi' so ya' don' get caught. Fo' the res' of the trip why don' ya' try an' pick a' leas' one pocket a day for practice, at tha' end o' tha' week, try an' pick mine an' we'll see if you've improved an' what ya nee' ta' do ta' get better, alrigh'?" Sam nodded at this plan as she laid back on the grass, relaxing after the game.

"An' Fili, you shoul' be able ta' tell when someone is pickpocketing ya', so guess wha' I'll be doin' ta' ya for tha' next few weeks?" Nori grinned as the prince groaned, knowing he would not be able to find quite a few of his things for a while because Nori thought he needed to pay attention.

Bifur, Bofur, Balin, and Gloin only laughed from where they were sitting, smoking their pipes, a few feet away.

An elf then walked up to the group and requested that Sam and Bilbo follow him and the rest of them head off for lunch that was being served at leisure in the kitchens. The dwarves looked at Sam and Bilbo questioningly as they started walking away, Sam motioning them away with her hand and a role of her eyes, them understanding it was nothing to worry about, now hurrying towards the food.

The elf led Sam and Bilbo into a side courtyard, giving Sam a small cloth wrapped bundle, apologizing that Lord Elrond could not give it to her in person because he now had more guests that needed tending to, and walked away.

Bilbo and Sam stared at the little bundle as Sam started to unwrap it, both of them stunned at the sight of a small, mithril pendant (they both knew it was mithril automatically, not knowing why) in the shape of a star, made from folded strands of the precious metal, with an emerald settled in the middle; it seemed to give off an energy, a calming, soothing energy, this was what was meant to protect the hobbit.

Bilbo looked up as Sam sighed, her eyes closed, she seemed to tremble slightly, but he didn't know why, he put a hand on her arm, the action seemingly awakening her from whatever it was that was causing her to tremble.

Sam spoke," Bilbo...," how was she supposed to do this?, "Bilbo, last night, during the party, you saw me go on the balcony right, after Kili stole me from Thorin?" Bilbo smiled at the memory as he nodded, though only slightly due to his concern over what was bothering Sam, and why she was asking him that in the first place," Well, on the balcony I had a feeling, a feeling that made me feel as if I had just woke up from a nightmare, a nightmare about you." Her dear hobbit looked very confused and distressed now, herself becoming distressed at the memory as she sighed again and continued," Lord Elrond found me on the balcony, crying, because I was terrified at that moment that something awful was going to happen to you, and that I could do nothing to prevent it," Bilbo looked even more distressed now," I told him about my nightmares, and the way I had just had the same feeling, a waking nightmare if you will, about you, and he told me I was having visions, of a sort, because I usually don't remember what they are about, of things that may yet come to pass." Bilbo looked a little relieved that she had told Lord Elrond, but all the more confused by this vision business," And I asked him Bilbo, oh God, I was such a mess, crying because I was so scared something terrible was going to happen to you, something that could be prevented, and I asked him if there was anything to be done to protect you from the evil my vision told me would do you harm," her friend looked so terrified, right now, his innocent eyes wide and full of fear, for them both, for him and what awful fate could befall him and for her, because she was being tortured so by these visions," and, thank God, Bilbo, he said there was something he could do to protect you, by providing you with something that would ward off and protect you from the evil that would do you harm, and it's this Bilbo, this little mithril and emerald pendant, this is what is supposed to protect you."

Sam picked up the pendant with one hand, stuffing the cloth it had been wrapped in in her pocket (realizing it had something else in it, but waiting to check), unclasped it, and secured it around Bilbo's neck, her hands trembling in fear of what might come to pass and relief that she had done something about it, tucking it beneath his shirt so no one would see it. Bilbo looked up at her then, having been following her hands, his face more unsure and scared than she had ever seen it.

"Never take it off, Bilbo, never take it off. For the rest of your life, you must wear that protective pendant, always hide it Bilbo, never let anyone see it or take it away, or else your life, your very soul, will be forfeit, for I fear this evil I sensed will dog your steps for decades to come, so please, Bilbo, please, for my sake and yours, never take it off."

Bilbo looked terrified, but the little hobbit took courage from the look in Sam's eyes, despite the tears now running down her face, the look of protectiveness and love and fear and a mess of other emotions he could not identify giving him strength, because he would not cause Sam to worry for him, to risk her life in protecting him more that he knew she already had and would, he would wear this pendant for the rest of his life, if only to ease her worries.

Bilbo reached up and began to wipe away Sam's tears, speaking," I will, Sam, my dear, sweet, Sam, I will wear it for the rest of my life, because you have asked me to, and I trust you, in the face of whatever evil it is that haunts your visions of me, I will wear it forevermore, because you want me to." He gave her a watery smile of his own as she pulled him into a soft bear hug, burying her face in his curls, murmuring her thanks, while he patted her back and murmured his own thank yous and 'I'm so grateful to call you friend' as she slowly calmed down," Now, lets get you cleaned up, we can't have the Company wondering why I made you cry, now can we? After all, I assume you want to keep this our little secret?"

Sam smiled as she released him and nodded, taking the offered handkerchief and wiping her face. She gave the handkerchief back and took out the cloth again, finding the other lump she had felt when she stuffed it in her pocket, Bilbo looking at her curiously, though he was glad she had stopped crying. Sam began to unwrap the other lump, finding something wrapped in paper.

It was another pendant, very similar to the one Bilbo now wore, but with a sapphire instead of an emerald, and runes on the strands of mithril. On the paper was a note from Lord Elrond, that read, 'My Dear Samantha,

The emerald pendant is for Bilbo, it should protect him from the evil you have sensed will haunt him.

I have also included this sapphire pendant, it is for you, Samantha, it has only minor magical qualities, a weaker version of the spell on Bilbo's pendant, that will provide you with some protection from the same evil you wish to protect him from, but, Samantha, this pendant is important for another reason, the runes declare you an elf friend. Should you ever be in dire need of help, and there are elves around, you only need to show them this pendant and they will help you.

The runes on the pendant also state the name I have given you, just as I did Gandalf when I named him Mithrandir, by naming you elf friend.

Lethril is your name, it means listener, just as your own name does. When you show this pendant to another elf in proof of your status as elf friend, you introduce yourself by this and tell them I am the one who calls you such, and all should be well.

I am sure you are wondering why I have named you elf friend, and I have done so because of your heart, my dear child. In you I see a kindness that is not dependent on race or any other requirement, you give it where it is needed, and where it is due, and I also see a propensity for love, an honest and unprejudiced love, shown in your devotion to your Company, to Bilbo, and in the quick friendships you have formed in just a few days in Rivendell, both with myself and my family, as well as with Ninina. This ability to show love and friendship without prejudice is one that needs to be protected, because my own visions deem it, and you, worthy of it, and because of the way my visions have told me you will shape Middle Earth.

So, goodbye, my friend, and may when next we meet be a joyous occasion.

Sincerely,

Lord Elrond'

Sam stared at the note, completely unbelieving that in just a few short days she had earned the right to be called elf friend, and that Lord Elrond, of all people, thought of her as a friend. She did not know if Lord Elrond's belief in her kind of ability to show love easily was something that truly needed protecting, she personally felt like he was giving her far more credit than she deserved, all she did was give everyone a chance, because if they had done nothing to earn her ire, or the sum of their actions did not amount to enough to earn it, then she could not be unjustifiably unkind, but she appreciated the sentiment. The idea that his visions said she would help shape Middle Earth bothered her, but she knew she already had, in a way, so she left that be.

Sam put on the pendant, hiding it beneath the neck of her tunic; she could feel a slight pulse of magic as the spell worked, however weak it may be, and turned to the perplexed Bilbo, who raised an eyebrow in question at her.

"Apparently I have been named elf friend by Lord Elrond." She shrugged, unsure what else to say.

Bilbo's eyes widened, " That is, well, rather amazing. To my knowledge elves do not give out that title lightly, and for you to earn it in just a few days is unheard of." Bilbo shook his head and continued, "Do you wish to keep that a secret as well?" Sam nodded, "Alright, we'll both need to keep our pendants out of sight now won't we?" Sam smiled at him, Bilbo glad for the abrupt change in her mood from how sad she had been just minutes ago.

So Bilbo gave her another hug, and they set off to have lunch with the Company.

/Prepare as We Will/

Bilbo and Sam had lunch with the Company, those who had gone to negotiate and learn did not return to them until dinner.

Thorin, Balin, and Bombur were very satisfied with the amount and kind of supplies they were getting from the elves, grateful to Sam for having caused the fortuitous, and unprecedented event. Oin was just as pleased with the medical supplies they were being provided with.

All of the supplies were brought to their little campsite and divided amongst the packs of the Company, Sam having moved her things to the campsite at Gandalf's bidding, as he has told them they would need to leave at first light lest Lord Elrond's new guests try to stop them.

The first light of the next day found them outside of Rivendell, going towards the High Pass, and so ended the stay of Thorin Oakenshield's Company in Rivendell.

/Watch the Flames Burn Auburn on the Mountainside/

The steep slopes, rocky paths, and sheer drops of the High Pass served to cause a variety of problems for the Company as they traveled.

The steep slopes caused the most issues for the heavier dwarves, like Bombur and Dwalin, because it seemed like every step they took the ground beneath them would shift and they would lose their balance and grip on the rock wall they were using to help them traverse the length of the slope, causing them to either slide further down the slope in the dirt or to nearly fall over and go rolling down. Thankfully, however, most of the time the other dwarves were able to catch their fellows before they fell and, if not, then Sam and Nori's quick reflexes came in rather handy, their hands automatically darting out to grab whatever part of the falling dwarf they could, though sometimes they ended up nearly going over themselves until someone else grabbed them. This situation ended up with Nori being put behind Bombur, as there was no way that Sam could hope to haul him back if he fell, with his cousins in front. Sam was put behind Dwalin, she really wasn't strong enough to haul him up either, but he was more likely to be able to help her do it, Fili and Kili were put in front of them to help.

The rocky paths were constantly cutting up Bilbo's feet, slowing him down and prompting Oin to wrap his feet in bandages to add to the natural toughness of hobbit feet, but the bandages were soon torn to shreds, so Dori ended up carrying Bilbo across the rockiest areas of the path, his pack carried by Dwalin when that was necessary. There was also the problem of the rocks constantly cutting through the leather on the sides of the decidedly worn boots of the dwarves, Sam's boots were relatively new (and made by the Valar) so they held up well, but the dwarves ended up wrapping the legs of their boots in any scraps of cloth or leather they had to try and protect their calves and ankles from the rocks.

At night Oin would put a heavy smear of salve on Bilbo's feet and would wrap them up to give the poor hobbit enough relief to sleep (the large supply of salves and bandages the elves had provided were coming in terribly handy at the moment), and quite a few of the Company, mostly Nori, Bofur, and Dwalin, who seemed to have the shabbiest boots, had deep gashes on their legs the first few times they dealt with the sharp rocks. Bofur got a rather deep cut on his ankle, luckily not bleeding a lot, that had to be bound to support the joint while they walked, so Bofur had limped for a good few days.

The sheer drops of the High Pass were also a point of concern for the entire Company, given that none of them wanted to fall to their deaths, because the path was, at times, incredibly narrow, making it more difficult to stay a safe distance from the edge and, if they tripped, they had almost nowhere to go, especially if they didn't want to knock someone else over. The sheer drops also slowed them down, in addition to everything else, because everyone was being very cautious, especially Sam who, as it turned out, didn't like heights.

The dwarves had initially taken this to mean she was afraid of heights, but she adamantly denied she was the kind of afraid of heights they were taking it to mean, because everyone with any kind of sense had a fear of heights if they were high enough, she meant that she was very uneasy around any considerable height, but she would never be paralyzed in fear of heights and would never let them stop her from doing what needed to be done, but, regardless, Sam and Bilbo were put between Bofur and Bifur, because they were the least bothered by the drop, as such things were common in deep mines, thus, as miners, it wasn't really an issue for them.

They traveled for two weeks, camping in various caves that they found, sometimes having to sleep on the trail when none were available, the foods that did not need cooking that they had gotten from the elves vital in those situations. The nights they spent in the caves were full of the regular stories and songs, but Sam's training was really non-existent at this point, the lack of room to move keeping her from practicing her technique, but Dwalin, with help from the entire Company, started teaching her strategy in earnest and the logistics of fighting.

Dori also continued to teach her braiding, though, by now, they had moved on to more complicated braids that had specific meanings to dwarves (he had decided to start teaching her the meaningful braids after it had been decided she would be living amongst dwarves, because, otherwise, they wouldn't have been important for her to learn and it would not have been appropriate to teach them to her because of the secretive nature of dwarves). Bofur and Bifur alternated nights with Dori for teaching her how to carve wood, she was getting better, with practice, but they still had trouble translating the technique for someone left handed when she couldn't replicate it right handed.

Right after they made camp every night Sam would return anything she had managed to knick from the Company (her biggest triumphs had been Thorin and Bilbo's pipes, neither their burglar nor their king had even noticed), Nori very pleased that, after two weeks of practicing, she had improved drastically with not being detected, especially since she was sticking to trying to get things out of pockets or other places on the person rather than taking things from packs.

Sam had not done badly the two times she had tried to pick Nori's pocket, but had made mistakes, some of which were unavoidable given their current situation, as she couldn't help but make it obvious who she was targeting and he was still a master thief, so he was the hardest target she could possibly have, and he noticed every little thing she did wrong, he was a tough teacher, but she was learning.

Nori had also taken to teaching Sam other thieving techniques, when everyone else was done teaching her whatever they were teaching her, such as how to improve her ability to sneak around, put things in other people's pockets, and how to conceal and used concealed weapons most effectively. Sam was already rather quiet, so sneaking wasn't terribly difficult for her, but watching the ground to make sure she didn't step on anything that made noise was a challenge, she proved better at putting things in people's pockets than taking things out, and concealed weapons also seemed to come naturally to her (Sam blamed that on having to be sneaky to do anything to her brother by way of pranks, like hiding a bottle of perfume or glitter before dumping it on his head).

The Company traveled in this fashion for two weeks until, one night, there was a terrible storm.

/Desolation Comes upon the Sky!/

Rain was pouring from the sky, making the already treacherous path even more so by making it slick and hard to see.

Sam, and everyone else, had their cloaks on and their hoods up, their heads bowed to try and keep the wind and rain out of their faces, but still be able to see the person in front of them. They were silent, trudging along in misery, their feet squishing in their boots, their fronts damp. Everyone was holding on to the cloak of the person in front of them to make sure they all kept track of each other and to help one another when they fell.

Sam had a tight hold of Bilbo's cloak, worried that the hobbit, for all of the durability of his feet, would lose traction and fall. So they kept plodding on, the thunder and lightening deafening, everyone hoping they would find shelter soon, because none of them wanted to sleep on the trail in this weather.

They heard a resounding crack, the Company pulling back in toward the wall that was the mountain, fearing a rock slide, until Balin called above the din of the storm," This is no thunder storm! It is a thunder battle! Look!" The old dwarf pointed towards a great stone being picking up a chunk of the mountainside.

"Well, bless me! The legends were true! Giants, stone giants!" Bofur stood on the edge of the ledge, gawking at the sight.

"Step back, you'll fall!" At Thorin's call, Sam yanked Bilbo and Bofur closer to the mountainside, her arm across both of their shoulders, as the chunk of the mountain the giant had grabbed was thrown their way, Bofur quickly ducking his head over Bilbo's and wrapping an arm around Sam.

Sam bent over her friends, trying to protect them and herself from the falling rocks that were slowly destroying their path. She could feel Bilbo trembling from the cold and fear as his wide eyes watched what was happening from over her arm and under Bofur's head. Sam herself was scared, she did not fancy the idea of any of them getting a concussion from the rocks or falling because the path was destroyed. She didn't have time to think anything else as the rock beneath them started to move.

The ground shuddered and split beneath them, the Company being drawn apart as they realized they were on the knees of another stone giant. Sam could hear Fili and Kili yelling at each other, but couldn't make out what they were saying, because she was trying to not fall off of their stone giant and to keep Bilbo from falling as well, she had her arm clamped around his waist, pulling him tight against her as Bofur moved to steady Bifur.

It was then that Sam actually noticed that her half of the Company was pulling away from Thorin and the others, her eyes widening as she looked around and saw her friends clinging for dear life to the moving stone, watching the others move further and further away, she was slammed into the rocks, nearly losing her grip as the two giants continued fighting above them, oblivious to or uncaring of the people being affected by their fight.

She saw Thorin, Balin, Gloin, Oin, Bifur, and Fili stare at them in horror from their more stationary knee, right before they jumped to a part of the mountain that wasn't a giant.

Then Sam saw the mountain rapidly approaching them, because their giant had evidently been defeated, and her only thought on the matter was 'Oh, shit.'

As the mountain came within jumping distance Bofur called," Jump!" and they all did just that, the brothers Ri leaping as one, arms around one another, Dwalin and Bofur helping Bombur, Kili grabbed a hold of Bilbo and they three jumped back onto the mountain, leaping with all of their might as the knee of the giant crashed into the the jagged rock, luckily, none of them were hurt with more than a few bad bruises, immediately digging themselves out of the rubble.

Bilbo was safely ensconced in Kili and Sam's arms, not dangling from the cliffs, when Thorin and the others rounded the corner of the path, all of their terrified faces turning to ones of relief as they spotted their loved ones, all rushing forward.

Dwalin had just put a hand on his brother's arm when he noticed the cave.

"There's a cave righ' here!"

Thorin looked at where his friend was looking, still holding his nephews to him, their faces buried in his neck, tightly grasping each other and himself, all grateful they were alive and whole.

"We'll take shelter in there then! Everyone move!" He gently let go of his nephews and nudged them toward the cave opening, the sons of Dis following the sons of Fundin, Thorin turned around and noticed that everyone was accounted for, their burglar being pushed into the cave by Sam, who then turned around and helped Bifur and Bofur haul up Bombur, before going to help the Ri brothers out of the heap they had landed in, Oin and Gloin then herding them all in the direction of the cave, Thorin only going in after everyone else had entered.

All of the families within the Company were standing together in huddles, their foreheads together. Thorin passed the Broadbeams, Ri Brothers, Oin and Gloin, and Balin and Dwalin to get to his nephews, doing the same with them, so glad they were all safe, that the happenings of just a few minutes ago had not been the end of the Company, of his nephews, of his family.

Sam and Bilbo sat at the back of the cave, observing the families reaffirming themselves of each other's presence and the fact that they were all alive. It was a touching scene, reminding them both of just how much dwarves valued their families, especially how much their dwarves loved each other.

Bifur was mumbling something in Khuzdul to his cousins, Bombur slightly nodding his head as Bofur just drew them both closer, trembling slightly. Dwalin was bent over to touch foreheads with the much shorter Balin, hand on each other's shoulders, keeping them together, eyes closed as they breathed as one. Gloin and Oin's faces weren't even visible because their arms were wrapped around each other's necks. Dori, Nori, and Ori were in more of a group hug formation, their foreheads still touching, Dori with his hands on the back of both of his brother's heads, Nori's hands buried in the scruff of their cloaks, and Ori's hands were clamped on his brother's sides, shaking.

These familial moments only served to remind Sam and Bilbo that they did not have their families with them. Sam's heart clenched at the reminder of the fact she would never see her family again, and that such things were forever lost to her.

Bilbo seemed to be following Sam's train of thought, wrapping an arm around her, a look passing between them as Sam glanced down at him, wrapping her own arm around him to reaffirm their presence and safety to each other, as the dwarves seemed to have forgotten they were there, so they took comfort from each other.

Eventually the dwarves awoke from their reverie and set about setting up camp, though no fire would be made, as Thorin had a bad feeling about this cave.

Bofur had first watch, and all was quiet as the Company began to sleep, Bilbo curled up at Sam's side, as she watched the Company slumber.

Then they heard a loud CRACK, and the floor dropped from underneath them.

/Now I see Fire, inside the Mountain!/

The Company dropped down a shaft in the rock of the mountain, hitting the sides and each other as they fell. Their packs cushioned the fall, for the most part, their disorientation causing them to miss for a moment the fact that they were surrounded by goblins, Sam and Thorin the only ones immediately on their guard as they had been awake when they fell, Bofur was buried beneath the others so he couldn't help, though neither of them had time to draw their weapons before they were being herded by the goblins in another direction.

The Company began to fight off the goblins as they realized what was going on, Dwalin and Nori striking out at them, trying to get free and to the others, especially when one had shoved Ori, Fili and Kili struggling to keep together, Dori's arms were being held down by one of the bigger ones, all of them startled as a barrage of noise began, causing Bifur to cover his ears and groan in pain, Bofur just staring and trying to keep the goblins from knocking Bombur over, Oin and Gloin being bounced like pinballs as they tried to fight off the goblins touching them, Balin right behind Thorin as they were pushed along, the fact that all of them were still wearing their packs (because they had all essentially flopped down and started to sleep, using them as large pillows or mini-mattresses) was a small comfort because it meant they still had their weapons and supplies, for now.

Sam had both her own pack and Bilbo's, who she couldn't find and didn't expect to, as she was pushed along as well, smacking any goblin that got handsy with her, as they had obviously noticed she was a human woman among dwarves, and Sam couldn't help but wonder what that would mean for her at this point.

The Company, sans their burglar, was pushed in front of the Goblin King, the awful racket he had been singing to finally ended. They stood in a group, surrounded by goblins.

Sam was staring at the cavern, swarming with small goblins, and the great goblin, unsure, at this point, what to do besides stand there and wait, because, surrounded as they were, there was little they could do. She was brought out of her reverie when Dori dragged her into the center of their group, pushing her to his left side, Dwalin on her other side, Fili and Kili taking up position behind her, Bofur and Bifur in front, as the rest of the Company made a buffer around them, Sam sticking out in the middle, standing taller than them all, noticing the way they were all tense and ready to pounce, and the way they glared at the goblins, who were staring at her like a starving wolf stares at a hunk of meat.

Sam had a feeling she was not going to like the reason they were being so protective, and that it had to do with the fact that she was a woman, if the stares from the goblins were anything to go by (for once she was glad of their over protective maleness, because she had a feeling it was going to keep her from serious emotional and physical harm here).

The dwarves had swarmed around their lass for the simple reason that they knew what goblins, and orcs for that matter, did to women when they got their hands on them. They knew that the creatures tortured women for months longer than any men they caught, using them for sport and pleasure alike. Most women died of their wounds or the trauma, even died in the process of bearing their young, long before they ever got the opportunity to escape and, those who did, were never the same. All of the Company, but the youngest three dwarves, had seen the aftermath of such happenings.

They were all haunted by the memories of a human woman who had found her way to Ered Luin, some sixty years ago, after being captured by goblins. She was little more than a ghost of her former self, pale and trembling, shying away from any touch, barely eating, sleeping only when she was drugged or exhaustion took her, haunted by horrifying memories and even worse nightmares. The woman was never like her former self again, committing suicide just two months after having gained her freedom.

They still remembered the sight of her, her scarred and mangled body, the burns, the brands, the lashes, the marks left by goblin claws on her breasts and hips, the rope burns around her neck, how she had seemed so small and frail and broken, her mind shattered. What haunted them the most, however, had been her eyes; they were blue, but where once had been a vibrant sky blue was a washed out, empty grayish-blue, soulless, devoid of emotion or memory or thought, just full of horror and loss. Eyes that had known horrors and pain that none should ever know, eyes that did not belong on the face of a young woman. What had once been a lively and friendly woman was turned into a wraith, nothing more than an empty shell, her soul having left her the moment the torment had began.

They would be damned if they allowed that to happen to Sam.

"Who dares come into my kingdom, armed?" The Goblin King roared, spittle flying everywhere, his horrible breath almost making the Company gag, his goiter swaying to and fro from his chin, and his B.O. permeated the area. Sam could see his many boils and pimples pulsing under the layer of dirt on his skin, some oozing a clear fluid, his greasy skin shining in the torchlight. All in all, the Goblin King was an awful creature.

The Company was stripped of their weapons and their packs as the great goblin spoke, though the dwarves kept the goblins from touching Sam, with a few well placed punches and menacing looks, the goblins deciding she was not, at the moment, worth an injury to search, going off of their previous experience, no doubt, that human women were seldom armed and that any males with them were vicious in the defense of their women and, thus, not worth the trouble of dealing with until the men were killed, then the women were usually easy pickings.

None of the creatures realized she was as heavily armed as the rest of them, with her swords, bow, and quiver hidden by her cloak and coat, the daggers in her boots unseen, and her throwing knives safely hidden on her person and in her gauntlets.

Fili, Kili, and Ori were not sure what to do in this situation, so they followed the example set by their elders, allowing the goblins to take their things while keeping them away from Sam, knowing they would do worse to her than to them from rumors and things they were not supposed to have heard, in the dead of night, all of them worried what would happen to Sam if the goblins were able to tear her away from the Company.

"Dwarves, your malevolence." The smaller goblin standing in front of the Company was only slightly less disgusting than his master, though his hunched back only added to his unpleasant appearance.

"Dwarves?"

"We found them on the front porch." The sniveling creature looked quite smug.

"Search them, search them all! Every crack and every crevice!"

Again, Sam was left alone as the rest of the Company's persons' were searched, Oin's earhorn being crushed. Sam stood very still through all of this, unsure of what to do, because she did not know how to react to this situation, unsure of what would do them more harm than good and vice versa, not to mention the goblins really creeped her out and, if the dwarves reaction to them was any indication, were rightfully scary.

"What are a bunch of dwarves doing in these parts?"

The dwarves and Sam did not answer.

"Fine, if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Start with the youngest!" The Goblin King was making a show of the Company for his subjects, pointing at Ori, not knowing that Ori was not the youngest dwarf, though Ori was not about to tell him the Kili was, he would not endanger his friend, or his prince.

The Company tensed at the mention of torture, now looking around for escape routes, starting to fight their captors, but something made them all freeze.

"What about the woman, my lord?"

The Goblin King stilled and slowly turned around, eyeing the group again, his eyes alighting on Sam, his evil eyes lightening in sick glee.

Sam was officially terrified shitless, that look filling her with dread and warning her of what he had in store for her.

The dwarves all started to fight in earnest, desperately looking for an escape route, keeping Sam in their midst even as the monstrous king began to laugh, laugh with such cruelty it chilled them to the bone.

"Hahaha, a woman? Oh, what a treat this is!" He eyed Sam up as she paled, a cold sweat breaking out on her skin, her eyes widening, despite her desire to try and look tough, which was failing miserably. She felt herself begin to tremble slightly, but Fili's hand on her arm and Kili's in her own, coming from behind her calmed Sam slightly, even as she heard Gloin mumbling things in a placating tone, trying to calm her obviously (to her dwarves especially, no trace of their usually relaxed and happy girl visible in the terrified young woman standing in their midst, not that they could blame her, even hardened war maidens did not react well to the kind of threat these goblins now posed her, she was a smart girl, she had not doubt figured out just what the goblins would do to her if given the chance, but they were not about to let that happen) mounting fear, though her panic continued to rise as the king began to speak again, leering at her," She can be the dessert, after the dinner show." He made a grand gesture towards the torture devices being brought their way, Sam drawing away from him instinctively, her eyes locked on the hulking creature even as she was paying attention to what was around her, backing into the comforting presence and warmth of Fili, Kili, and, now Ori, as they tried to keep the goblins trying to cop a feel away from her.

The Goblin King finally noticed who Thorin was in that moment, as he stood in the front of the Company, trying to protect Sam, or at least make her feel safer, in the presence of this evil creature.

"Thorin Oakenshield? Haha, oh this night just keeps getting better and better!" The following conversation only served to heighten the anxiety that the Company was feeling, learning that Azog the Defiler was alive and willing to pay for Thorin's head.

The idea of the Great White Orc alive put a degree of fear, and outright rage, on Thorin's face, as Balin and Dwalin felt their own emotions rise at the memory of the creature slaying their father, and King Thror.

The goblin that had been sucking up to the king earlier chose that moment to unsheathe Orcrist, all attention going to the blade, for which Sam was grateful, as it's other name, the Goblin Cleaver, was revealed. The resulting ruckus surprised the dwarves, none of them expecting the absolute frenzy the goblins launched into.

Gandalf's staff made everything come to a standstill, the blinding light and and power knocking everyone over, dazing them, but that was enough to knock Sam out of her panic mode.

Gandalf's order to arms themselves was followed as soon as Sam regained herself. She jumped up, grabbed her and Bilbo's packs, nudging her friends as she went, waking them and spurring them to action, when she finally drew her swords.

Sam began to slice at the goblins in the immediate vicinity, pushing them away from her dwarves, allowing the Company to grab their weapons and supplies before they began their own assault, all of them glad to see Sam was ok despite the scare.

Thorin somehow managed to repel the Goblin King off the platform as Bofur cracked a goblin's skull with his mattock, Bumbur bouncing one off of his belly into the void of the mountain's depths.

The dwarves slowly began to clear a path through the goblins, gaining momentum until they were running down the walkways, slaying goblins as they went. Sam soon had to put away her swords in consideration of the close quarters the Company was fighting in, taking out her daggers instead, finally having an opportunity to put Nori's tutelage to good use.

Sam was glad that the Company was full of such good fighters, everyone able to fend for themselves and each other, as it probably made up for any mistakes she made, she was doing fairly well with the multiple enemies in close quarters, but Fili and Kili stayed close to her to make sure she stayed that way, because, regardless of how well she was doing, she was still incredibly inexperienced and this was her first, true, all out battle, and they did not want it to be her last.

After running like mad, weighed down by packs, fighting, and using a variety of strange ways for getting rid of goblins, like using a ladder, cutting loose scaffolding, and jumping on and off a swinging bridge, the Company and Gandalf were finally faced with the Goblin King again, and Gandalf promptly slew him.

Which was why they were now plummeting to the bottom of the chasm on a quickly diminishing wooden bridge, doing a combination of free fall and sliding against the rock walls.

They finally landed on the bottom of the chasm, the jolt of it making their already sore bodies even more sore, some of the wood collapsing and landing on them, burying the Company in debris.

"Well, that could have been worse." Bofur, did you have to jinx it?

The body of the Goblin King landed on the Company, crushing them further.

The first to free himself from the rubble was Gandalf, and then Dwalin, who proceeded to help Nori out of the rubble. Kili was pulling himself out when he looked up, only to go stock still at the sight of the swarm of goblins coming down the sides of the chasm towards them.

"Gandalf!"

Gandalf himself looked up at Kili's call, hastening to get the dwarves free of the rubble, especially when Dwalin pointed out they could not fight them all, starting to run again, the smell of fresh air guiding them to an exit out of the goblin tunnels.

The Company ran as quickly as they could away from the entrance to the goblin tunnels, running down the stretch of land on the side of the mountain, heading for a copse of trees, hearing the goblins halt their chase at the entrance, unwilling to go into the sunlight.

They halted when they entered the trees on the cliff, all of them exhausted and sore. The families stood together, once again, glad they had all survived, as they panted and huffed, bent over catching their breath, Bofur's hat flapping as he panted and Bombur simply sat down on a boulder and slumped backward.

Sam was leaning against a tree behind Nori, Dori, and Ori taking deep, measured breaths to try and relax her airways, and herself, as they had tightened up considerably in the face of her previous panic and the marathon run and close quarters combat afterwards, the adrenaline of the fight and exhaustion of the last two weeks of little sleep, cold, and heights finally catching up with her. Oin noticed Sam's slight distress and fished a balm out of his pack, made of mint and something like eucalyptus, that would open up her air ways if applied above her upper lip and and chin, places that would ensure she would inhale the smell, as that is what would open up her airways.

Sam gratefully took the balm and smeared it on the appropriate places on her face, taking a breath that completely expanded her diaphragm, already feeling some relief, she smiled before handing the balm back to Oin as Balin came over to check on her, nodding at whatever Oin said into his ear, both relieved to see the immediate affect the balm had on her breathing, which had been raspy only seconds before.

The older dwarf drew Sam closer to the rest of the group, after a few more moments of deep breathing, having her stand next to him, Dwalin, and the princes.

Dwalin, Nori, Fili, and Kili smiled at her proudly, if tiredly, as she entered their line of sight in their semi-circle around Thorin, as all were terribly pleased at how well Sam had handled herself in her first true battle against multiple, if not skilled, opponents, one that had not been in their favor as they were outnumbered greatly and had been disarmed at one point, as well as their injuries posing a problem.

Most of the dwarves, and Sam for that matter, now had a smattering of dark bruises on their torsos and limbs, Bofur had a welt across the bridge of his nose that was bleeding slightly, Dwalin with a few cuts on his head, Nori appeared to be sporting a large bump on his forehead, Fili and Kili's backs were badly bruised for having landed flat on them when the bridge had landed on the bottom of the chasm, Bombur and Bifur had scratches on their faces and necks from the goblins' claws, Ori looked like he had a deep bruise on his cheek, while Dori kept rubbing his jaw where he had been smacked with a two by four, and Oin, Gloin, Balin, and Thorin all sported a variety of bruises on their faces with a few cuts, a cut on Balin's chin and a gash on Thorin's forehead bleeding more than the other cuts.

All of these injuries had slightly impeded their fighting ability in the goblin tunnels, but, despite all this, they had survived, all of them noticing how deadly Sam had been with her daggers (a testament to Nori's own skill, both with said weapons and his teaching, he was surprisingly patient with her despite his demanding training), moving in her own style with bits of Nori's mixed in, more than once dealing with a goblin that, she felt, had gotten far too close to one of the dwarves' turned backs, killing them before the dwarf in question had been able to do so themselves, effectively and literally protecting their backs on the run through Goblin Town, even if it got her a few extra bruises, as her armor had done it's job, despite only being leather with bits of steel, and had not allowed the goblins' teeth or claws to penetrate it when they had gotten a hold of her (though the dwarf she had been protecting usually chopped of their heads or offending limbs for daring to touch her).

Sam's fighting, strategy, and emotional comeback, all things considered, were excellent in light of their situation, she was turning out to be an excellent warrior, even if she was still a novice in comparison to most of the Company; yes, she had panicked there for a bit, but she had regained herself quickly and had been quite a force to be reckoned with against the goblins (probably using her fear and anger against the goblins, a good thing when balanced with Sam's inherently logical nature, as they had observed during their strategy sessions, always asking the right questions and noticing the important things about the given situations, because it kept her from being too reckless, even if it impeded her ability to take more dire risks in battle, something that was necessary in certain situations), all of them watching her for mistakes and making up for them as they went along. She needed more training to refine her skills and reactions to emotional situations, though she definitely had the basics down at this point, but some things could only be learned through experience, and she had survived this one, now knowing how she felt when she panicked, she could deal with it and manage her other reactions reactions better.

"Where is Bilbo? Where is our hobbit?" Gandalf's question prompted the Company to look around for their burglar, none seeing him and becoming alarmed when they realized he wasn't with them.

"When did you last see him?"

Before anyone could accuse anyone of losing the hobbit Sam spoke up to answer Gandalf, her voice a little breathy as her airways were not completely relaxed yet," I saw him slip away when we were first caught, none of the goblins seemed to even realize he was there, but I fear our dear hobbit might have been attacked after he got away because I didn't see him following us, though that might just be a testament to his burgling skills."

The Company was not comforted by this news, though they hoped Sam was right about his just being that sneaky.

In a fit of irritation and anger brought on by their experience and the news of Azog, Thorin could not help but say," Lost, of course the hobbit is lost, he has been lost since the moment he left his home."

Now that statement drew some protests and unhappy grumblings from the Company, many of them, his nephews included, now scowling at him, Sam's look of irritation and indignant fury not the least of the indicators of the folly of what Thorin had just said, though they all understood this was his bad reaction to a bad situation.

"Now look here Thorin, Bilbo did not have to come on this journey to help you, he did not have to do anything for you, and now you insult all that he has done for us and his sacrifice simply because he does not appear promptly when you think he should, even when he might now still be in those awful tunnels? How can you speak so unkindly of our friend, a member of the Company, considering what we have all been through together?" Sam's tirade, and accompanying scowl with narrowed eyes, surprised the Company, especially Thorin and Gandalf, never having heard her speak with such anger or derision in her voice, the force of her words and the strength in her voice completely unexpected, though they had heard her speak as vehemently before.

Sam was angry at Thorin for his statement and was affronted on Bilbo's behalf, feeling the need to defend the absent hobbit of the cruel remark from their leader.

The Company, and the resident wizard, just stared at her angry face, so unlike the normally cheeky, grinning visage they were used to, her anger unlike her usually calm and forgiving demeanor; apparently they had ignored the truth in her words when she had described herself as someone with a very hard to rouse temper, but once it was awakened, it was a force to be reckoned with, and Thorin had just roused the sleeping beast.

None of them had been able to imagine their lass being that angry, for any reason, given how she had acted the entire time they had known her, and had thus taken it as a personal overestimation, as people were want to do in regard to themselves, especially when they felt they were underestimated. They now realized the folly of that assumption, as it was as flawed as assuming that Bilbo, Fili, Kili, Bofur, Bombur, or Ori did not have tempers, as anyone who knew them, which the entire Company did at this point, could attest to, and now they could attest to that for Sam as well.

They watched as Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the tension in her shoulders brought on by her anger relaxing, the angry scowl going from her face, though it was still an unhappy and greatly irritated, if not angry, expression that took it's place, but it definitely looked like it belonged there more than the scowl did, as it resembled her more common place annoyed expression.

Sam did not like arguing with or yelling at people she cared about, she had done enough of that in her life already, so she tended to let things go and forgive more easily than she probably should, trying to keep the volatile, if longer fused, temper she had inherited from her mother in check, but she was the first to admit she could and would blow up at people if enough of her buttons were pushed at once, as Thorin had just managed to do. So she forced herself to relax and push her anger, for the most part, aside, as it was not going to help anyone right now and Thorin didn't mean what he had said, she knew he didn't, he was just irritated, like she was, and did not really deserve her outburst, though the words had been true enough, as she tried not to say things in anger that she couldn't stand behind when she was calm.

Sam was annoyed with Thorin, but he did not deserve to bear the brunt of her anger, and yelling at him would not help them find Bilbo.

Sam opened her eyes, letting out a lungful of air and a long sigh, she spoke," I'm sorry, Thorin, you didn't quite deserve the way I said that to you, though I stand behind all of it, Bilbo doesn't deserve to have that said about him, and you know it." Thorin looked slightly guilty, and nodded at her apology, thinking she really would be an excellent ambassador if she could talk so bluntly and boldly to a king while retaining the grace to apologize while, but still able to stand behind her words. The Company at large was still surprised the normally very polite, when she wasn't making off color jokes or references, girl had spoken like that to Thorin, and lived to tell the tale, even more surprised when she managed to actually make him feel guilty for what he had said, something that few were able to do," I know we are all tired, and irritated," she looked at Thorin," but I think our energy would be better spent looking for Bilbo-"

"No need for that." The previously missing hobbit appeared out of nowhere, a little worse for wear, but alive nonetheless. Sam's shoulders slumped as the remnants of her anger left her, glad to see her friend ok, ignoring the terrified feeling from knowing her actually had that evil ring now.

"Bilbo!"

"We're glad to see ya, laddie."

"Where have you been?!"

"Are you alright?"

The Company, needless to say, was glad to see their burglar, Sam giving him a hug as the others clapped him on the back, amazed he had managed to slip out of the goblin tunnels by himself.

Thorin simply stared at Bilbo, something he had been wondering for a while escaping from his lips," Why did you come back? Why did you go with us to begin with? You could have left as soon as you got out of the tunnels, gone back to your safe Shire and warm, well stocked home, but, instead, you come and find us. Why?"

Thorin was still perplexed why these two non-dwarves, though that sort of didn't apply to Sam at this point, wanted to help them. Sam, he knew, had done it originally because she thought it was the right thing to do, now because Erebor was to be her new home, but the hobbit? He didn't know why he had come.

Gandalf only smiled.

"Well, to be perfectly honest, Thorin, I originally left home because I wanted to have an adventure, the Shire is a quiet and peaceful place, but the Took side of me," here he paused, the saddened expression that crossed his face made the dwarves that were slightly insulted by him just wanting an adventure, pause, "the side of me most like my mother, Belladonna Took," the dwarves softened, understanding, as many of them had lost their parents," wanted to see the world and everything it had to offer, especially the people," here he glanced up with a sad smile on his face," the ones I know because of that desire now my dear friends," they all smiled at that, the previously annoyed ones sheepish," which is why I came back, why I will continue to travel with you, because you are all my friends, and your homes were taken from you," he looked at Sam," and if I can help you regain the place that is to you as the Shire is to me, then I will."

Bilbo looked at the Company as they looked at him, all of the dwarves wondering how they had managed to find such kind and loyal companions, though they had a feeling that was why Gandalf has insisted they take them both along on this journey.

Then they heard the warg howls.

/I see Fire, Burning the Trees!/

Samantha means listener in aramaic, that's where I got Sam's elf friend name.

So, yeah, that was kind of dark and terrifying and stuff...sorry if I give you nightmares.

Alrighty, hope you enjoyed, please review.


	7. Chapter 7

Standard disclaimers apply!

Enjoy!

/And I see Fire, Hollowing Souls!/

"Out of the frying pan." Thorin began.

"And into the fire." Gandalf finished, " Run. Run!"

The Company, once again, ran, but found they had almost no where to run as they got to the end of the cliff.

The wargs were upon them, Sam killed the warg that was about to attack Bilbo and dragged him towards the trees, Thorin and Dwalin killing another warg as it approached Balin, Ori cracking one's skull with a hammer.

"Into the trees, all of you!"

Bofur stepped off of Dwalin's head into a tree, Dwalin throwing Balin up, then climbing up himself.

Sam tossed Bilbo up into the same tree as Dori, watching as Kili helped his brother up, Bombur barely getting onto a branch.

Sam ran to the tree that Gandalf was in, climbing up and settling on a branch just below the wizard, putting away her swords and taking out her bow, beginning to shoot at the beasts that were trying to eat them, Kili doing the same, shooting them in the eyes or the mouth, as their arrows were no where near sharp enough to go through their skulls, swarming around the trunks of the trees, snapping at the lower branches.

Gandalf talked to a butterfly on the end of his staff, sending it off.

Then Azog showed up, Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin all staring at the creature they had thought dead for many a year.

The Great White Orc began to speak, the only thing any of them understanding were Thorin and his father's names, though the mace pointed at Thorin obviously said, 'He's mine.'

The rest of the warg pack suddenly went into a frenzy around the bottoms of the trees, apparently on Azog's orders, trying to climb up the trees, snapping at the feet of the dwarves, and hobbit, their weight beginning to push the trees over, causing a domino effect, the Company having to jump from tree to tree to escape the wargs, eventually ending up in Sam and Gandalf's tree.

Sam stopped shooting to help her friends into the tree, taking a hold of the tree until she was sure they were all off, letting go only for the tree to fall over the edge of the cliff.

They all stared at the wargs trying to get up their tree, Sam and Kili almost out of arrows, not wanting to waste what they had left when they might need them later.

Then Gandalf set a pinecone on fire and, in a few minutes, the entire Company was launching fiery pinecones at the wargs, causing a mini-forest fire to break out in a circle around their tree, the wargs backing off.

And then their tree began to fall, the Company holding on for dear life as their tree fell over by increments, most keeping hold without an issue, but then Ori fell, grabbing hold of Dori's feet.

Sam dived for Dori as soon as she saw Ori fall, terrified she wouldn't be able to get to them in time, her legs wrapped around the trunk of the tree, one arm on either side of the branch, both of his large hands wrapping completely around each of her wrists, her hands clamping as far around Dori's as she could, as he and Ori fell. Dori and Ori's combined weight with their packs, along with the force of their fall, dislocated Sam's left shoulder, but she just grit her teeth, even as she felt the bones grind, more than willing to endure it if it meant Dori and Ori would live. Sam had never had anyone she loved die in her entire 22 years of life, and that lack of experience with loss made her more than a little terrified at the moment, slightly irrationally, of losing any of the Company, making her adrenaline levels go bonkers, allowing her to ignore the pain from her shoulder, and in her wrist from Dori's strong grip, when normally she probably would have been crying in pain.

"Dori, don't let go! I don't care if you have to break my wrists, just don't let go! Please!" Sam looked past Dori at Ori, "It'll be ok, Ori, I've got you, just don't let go of Dori, alright?"

Sam's request was a little desperate so Dori only nodded at Sam as she smiled wetly at Ori, noticing the terrified tears in her eyes, tightening his grip slightly as he and his youngest brother dangled from the tree, both terrified of dropping to their deaths. He looked to his left and spotted Nori, the elder of his two younger brother's staring at him and Ori, a look of absolute terror and loss and anguish and love on his face, an expression that Dori decided he didn't like and never wanted to see on Nori's face again, the expression too much like the utterly lost and grieving expression he had worn when their mother, Fitoria, died. He tried to communicate to Nori with his eyes that everything would be alright, because he had always comforted his brothers, it was his job as the eldest to take care of them and make them feel safe, especially in those days, so long ago now, when their mother was dying and there was nothing they could do because they didn't have any money and they were, really, all to young, even him, to be dealing with any of it.

It had been his job to raise his brothers after their mother died, all of their fathers having never been part of the picture, and he had done his best, despite the way Nori had become a thief and Ori was a timid scholar, both because of his mothering tendencies, he knew, Nori utterly rejecting it because Dori was not their mother and he could not handle his older brother, unintentionally, trying to replace their mother, and Ori, he had been too young to really have many memories of their mother, the only parents he'd ever really known were the constantly absent, but always loving and devoted to supporting their little family, Nori and Dori, who let his fear of losing his brothers after losing their mother, unable to do anything about what Nori did with his life, make him into an over protective mother hen who loved and protected his family fiercely to the point that he smothered Ori so much that he hadn't had room to grow, until this journey.

So Dori had to at least try to comfort Nori, because he loved his brothers and still remembered when they were both little dwarrowlings who looked to him when they didn't know what to do or needed comfort, he did this though he didn't know that and he and Ori wouldn't drop to their deaths in seconds and there would be nothing he, or Nori, could do about it, but he couldn't think like that, because he and Ori dying couldn't happen, not before his youngest brother had the chance to truly live, not after he had loved him and raised him and sacrificed for him, just as Nori had, though he had done it from afar, they couldn't die, they just couldn't, because they couldn't leave Nori all alone, because he would break without his brothers, Dori knew, no matter how aloof or unattached he acted at times, he needed them as much as they needed him, and Dori and Ori didn't want him falling down a dark hole of despair and ruin, because he would undoubtedly go on a stealing spree to distract himself from his grief should they die now, with no one to bail him out of jail (except maybe the Company), so he would have no hope of getting out of whatever trouble he got himself into, and would be all alone in whatever dark place he found himself in without his brothers to come and save him, to bring it light.

So Dori and Ori had to live, for Nori, themselves, and the Company, because anything else happening was just unfathomable.

Nori stared at Dori, knowing his older brother was trying to comfort him, even as he dangled, possibly moments from death, with Ori hanging from his feet, his protective and mothering nature demanding he at least try. His gaze flickered to the terrified Ori, tightly grasping their older brother's legs, who gave him a tiny, apprehensive and scared smile at Nori, as if to say, 'We're still alive, Nori, we're still here, you haven't lost us.' Yet.

When Nori had seen Ori fall, his heart had stopped, only for it to start again as he grabbed hold of Dori's legs, then his entire world almost ended when Dori began to slip with Ori, Dwalin keeping him from lunging towards his brothers, probably a good thing considering there was nothing but air between them, the only thoughts on his mind were ones of a panic he had never known before, Dori and Ori were falling to their deaths and he had to do something, he had to save them, he had to save his brothers, his annoying, irritating, mothering, kind, protective, and loving older brother and his sweet, timid, smart, kind, thoughtful, and precious younger brother.

Sam had kept his world from ending when she grabbed Dori's writsts, he heard her shoulder pop out of it's socket, grateful that she kept hold of his brothers despite what he knew was excruciating pain, that he would not have to live in a world where they weren't there, for now. Nori loved his brothers, he knew it, they knew it, everybody knew it, regardless of the fact that it went unacknowledged the vast majority of the time, and he did not want to imagine a world where they weren't there. He had done everything he could for his brothers, as soon as he had been able, he had left home to try and find a way to support them, so Dori wouldn't have to work jobs he hated, so Ori would never have to go hungry and get every opportunity he deserved, though they all often did go hungry, Nori and Dori always giving up food so their youngest brother would get what he needed to grow, he had ended up being a thief, because the money was good and quick, when he stole the right things. Nori would do anything for his brothers, despite how much time he had spent away from them, he had always kept tabs on them, knew when they needed what, protected them when they didn't know they were threatened, done everything he could to keep them safe, happy, and healthy.

Nori lived for his brothers, they were his world, so Dori and Ori dangling there terrified him, because without them his world ended, here and now. He didn't know what he would do if he lost them, his life would lack direction, he would have nothing to live for, no one to care for, to protect, and Nori was nothing if not a protective soul when it came to those he loved, just like Dori (though both were loathe to admit it) Nori needed to be able to take care of his loved ones somehow, he knew he couldn't be there all the time the way Dori had wanted him to be, his wandering nature and profession made that impossible, so he sent money, gifts, and always someone was watching them for him, relaying information of the daily happenings and activities of his precious family so he was always abreast of what was going on, what needed doing, it was why, whenever he came home (and he wasn't running from the law, or had Dwalin on his tail for stealing something), he would always have whatever his brothers needed, annoying Dori to no end that Nori could get what he couldn't, and promptly at that, and they would always have exactly what he needed, a home, companionship that didn't require you to always have a dagger at the ready, conversation that lacked double meaning, safety when he needed to stay out of sight for a while or needed to be bandaged up, and love, because no matter how much nagging Dori did he did it because he loved Nori, and he worried for his safety, and Ori had always been glad to see Nori, no matter how long he was gone, whether it was a year or a day, he was always glad to see him and show him what he had learned, how much he had grown since the last time he was home, because that was the only place that ever felt like home, because they were there, because they wanted him there, because no one else wanted him and appreciated him the way they did, because it was only home because they were there, if not, there would be nothing to come back to, to leave the shadows for, and, if Nori lost them now, then he would probably disappear so far into the darkness that he would never see the light again.

That was why Nori could only stare at his brothers in abject horror, completely unaware of the fact that Thorin was standing to fight Azog, solely focused on watching his brothers to make sure they didn't die, because he couldn't lose them without losing himself.

Ori looked between his brothers, noticing the way Nori looked so lost and Dori could do nothing but look at his brothers, at a loss from how to protect them from this. Ori knew his brothers had been entirely too young when their mother had died and the responsibility of raising him had fallen to them. He knew they had both given up a lot to keep him, and each other, safe and provided for, and Ori was thankful everyday for having such a wonderful, devoted, and loving family, other dwarves may very well have given him up for adoption because they didn't want nor think they could take care of him, but not his brothers, they wouldn't let him go, ever, and wouldn't let him suffer for all they had lost, because he was not about to let go of them either, not now, literally or figuratively, and not ever.

Ori knew he was scared, more terrified than he had ever been in his entire life, but he knew his brothers were more terrified than he was, because their entire lives had been centered around each other and him, around their family, and the idea of losing any of them was not a thought either of them could bear anymore than Ori could bear the thought of losing either of them or, Mahal forbid, both of them.

When Ori was younger, his brothers' presence had always been welcoming and comforting, despite Dori's being a mother hen and the way Nori was gone most of the time, they had always loved him and had shown it in their own ways, Dori making sure he got every opportunity he could to learn, once he showed an interest in scholarly pursuits, begging Balin to apprentice him, which he did, and Nori by bringing him books upon books to read and sketch books and ink and quills so he would never be want of the tools of his craft. Dori and Nori had given him all of those things and opportunities while taking none for themselves, neither of his older brothers had ever done anything just for themselves, neither of them had ever pursued any kind of romantic relationship, they had good friends instead, but when they were posed with a choice between their friends and their family, their family always won.

Ori looked up to both of his brothers for different reasons, Nori because he wasn't afraid to be himself, wild and free and irreverent as he was, while still having a good heart, and do what needed doing, regardless of what anyone else thought, or that it might be illegal, Dori because he had always been a hard worker and a good person, always helping others and being polite (and refined, despite their lack of money), regardless of the fact that many dwarves thought him a ridiculous dandy, in spite of his raw physical strength. Ori strived to be like them in many ways, he devoted himself to his craft just as his brothers had devoted themselves to their own, even more so to their family, he tried to be as confidant in himself as they were in themselves, and in him, he knew Nori thought that Dori had smothered him too much and Dori thought Nori put too many wild thoughts in his head, but without either of those he wouldn't have been able to withstand the taunts from other dwarflings for choosing to be a scholar, and lacking so much in fighting ability, because his brothers had always believed in him, always encouraged him, were always more than willing to do what they thought would be best for him, whether it was smothering him to protect him or trying to encourage him to be more outgoing and less quiet, many people would have taken those as insults or limitations, but not Ori, to him they were just proof his brothers loved him and wanted him to be the best he could be, which was why he had always been so eager to show Nori everything when he came home, why he had always been grateful to Dori for talking Balin into teaching him and Dori for helping him and listening to him, because he wanted them to be proud of him, he wanted them to see he was being the best he could be, that everything they had done for him was worth it, that he was happy, safe, and healthy, and that he liked himself and who he was, just like they did, and he wasn't going to change to make anyone happy, just like neither of them had done. Ori wanted to make his brothers proud of him and the dwarf he had become and wanted them to know that he was grateful for them and everything they had done for him, and that they could stop worrying about him and start living their lives for themselves and find their own happiness, whether it was in someone or something else, whatever it was he wanted to see his brothers truly happy, and this journey was his chance to show them that their work was done and they could do all those things they have been wanting to do their entire lives, they could fall in love, have children of their own, whatever so long as they were happy, he was happy.

That was why Ori was determined to hang on to Dori, because he wanted to see his brothers happy and stop worrying about him and each other, because he wanted to see them both find the happiness they deserved, and he couldn't see that if he, and Dori, died right now, so they were going to live because they had everything in the world to live for.

So Sam held onto Dori and Ori as Nori watched, while the rest of the Company watched Thorin almost be beheaded by Azog's lieutenant only to be saved by Bilbo, some of them managing to get up and run to protect Thorin and Bilbo, Dwalin, who dubiously trusted Nori not to do anything stupid, Fili and Kili attacking orcs and wargs as they tried to attack the downed Thorin and Bilbo, managing to keep them away as giant eagles began to carry the beasts away or fan the flames into them to scare them off.

As the first eagles were carrying off the wargs and orcs of Azog's group, Sam's grip on the trunk of the tree began to slip, the branch she was laying upon beginning to crack as it dried out from the heat of the flames and weakening from the weight on it. Sam looked at Dori as she heard an ominous snap, she gripped her legs tighter around the trunk, Dori and Sam simultaneously tightened their grips on each other's wrists, Sam was sure that she would, at the very least, have badly bruised, if not fractured or badly sprained, wrists by the end of this from the combined force of Dori's grip and the weight pulling on the weak joint, the bark digging into her skin beneath her pants, possibly causing some bruising of it's own.

Then the branch snapped and suddenly the three were free falling, Nori's dismayed screech echoing in the canyon before Sam, Ori, and Dori landed, painfully, in a pile on the back of an eagle.

Dori immediately drew the two young ones under his arms, above the bulk of their still, somehow, attached packs, to secure them to the back of the eagle as he gripped it's feathers, Ori following suit, Sam doing the best she could with her now very painful dislocated left shoulder, bruised chest from being pulled down on the branch, and horribly aching wrist of her right hand making themselves known. She got a weak grip of the feathers of the eagle, turning her head slightly to see the rest of the Company on their own eagles, relaxing as the ones with Bilbo and Thorin flew ahead of them.

/I see Fire, Blood in the Breeze!/

Sam thought the view of the forest and mountains and Erebor was beautiful from the back of the eagle, but she wanted to get her feet back on solid ground after having dangled from a tree, free falled, and rode thousands of feet in the air on the back of an eagle with no seat belts. The fact that she was in pain and a little light headed encouraging her desire for solid ground, as was her inherent dislike of heights.

The eagle allowed the three to get off of it on the top of the Carrock by way of sliding off, landing on slightly unsteady feet, Sam and Dori stumbling for a moment as Ori looked around, all of them slightly dazed from all that had happened in the last few hours, as they had spent the nigh in the trees if the sunrise was anything to go by. Ori spotted Thorin laying on the ground near Bilbo, with Gandalf kneeling over him, hand upon his brow.

Ori's distressed sound at the scene brought Dori and Sam back to themselves, Dori immediately beginning to walk towards his king as Sam slowly began to walk over, trying to avoid being jostled by the worried Company, still light headed and all too aware that she was on top of a very tall rock spire, staying away from the edge, as everyone all but jumped from the backs of their eagles and ran to Thorin.

Sam stood at the back of the group, watching as Thorin stood up, with help from Dwalin and his nephews, looking at the relieved Bilbo, saying," I was wrong to judge you so harshly on the cliff, Bilbo. I was wrong to ever believe that you would never be of use on this journey, never be one of us. And, I can honestly say, I have never been more glad to be so wrong in my life." Thorin embraced their hobbit in thanks of his actions, for saving Thorin's life, he mumbled into Bilbo's ear as he gave him one last squeeze, his injuries making themselves known under the slight pressure put on them by the hug, "Thank you, my friend, thank you."

Thorin stepped back, stumbling slightly, Dwalin taking his arm as they both watched, amused, as Bilbo positively beamed at the compliments, at being, finally, truly considered a part of the Company, all of the dwarves, and Gandalf, glad that Thorin and Bilbo were finally friends.

Sam grinned at the scene, herself glad that Thorin now had as much faith in Bilbo as he did in everyone else.

Then the Company noticed Erebor, and they all stared in wonder and happiness and hope, as well as a slew of other emotions.

Sam was entranced by the view of the place that would soon be her new home.

The dwarves who had been born and raised in Erebor glad to see their home again.

The younger ones were in awe of their ancestral home.

Bilbo thought it was beautiful.

Gandalf just laughed at their faces.

Oin pointed out how the birds were returning to the mountain, one bird going by in particular caught Gandalf's attention.

"That my friends, is a thrush."

A murmur went through the group at what that meant for their quest and for them, all of them excited that it meant they would be in the mountain soon, that the appearance of the very bird they needed to enter was a good omen.

Thorin smiled like he hadn't in a long time, knowing that he would be home soon warming his heart in a way few things had since the dragon's attack, the memories that flooded his mind of the good times in the Lonely Mountain making him even more determined to take it back.

Soon, the Company woke from the trance the mountain had put them in and began to go about picking their way down the Carrock.

/And I Hope that You'll Remember Me/

Sam approached Fili, Kili, and Ori, who were waiting for her at the back of the group, as most of the Company began to walk, slowly and carefully, down the trail they had found to the bottom of the Carrock that wound around the stone pillar at a gentle slope.

"Hey, Fili, can you do me a favor?"

Fili, Kili, and Ori looked at Sam, distracted from the small, though terribly excited, discussion they had been having about the sight of the Lonely Mountain, noticing how she was holding herself gingerly, as if she was in pain.

"Of course, Sam, what do you need?"

The princes were looking at Sam slightly puzzled and worried, not quite remembering where she had been in all the hubbub on the cliffs, just knowing that she had been on the tree. Ori, however, knew exactly where she had been and what she had done while the royal goofballs had been saving their uncle and Bilbo, and was about to thank her for saving his and Dori's lives when she spoke, stopping any words he was about to say cold.

"Can you pop my left shoulder back into it's socket? It hurts like hell and I think it would be best if I could actually use my dominant arm to keep me stable as we walk down this giant ass rock."

They all stared at her, now looking closely at her left shoulder, discovering, to their horror, that it was, in fact, dislocated, her left arm hanging disturbingly limp from the injured shoulder, now realizing they hadn't seen her move it since they got on the Carrock.

"Of course, Sam! Why didn't you say something sooner?" Fili and Kili looked more than a little dismayed at the news of her injury and were slightly annoyed with her for being so nonchalant about such an awful, and painful, injury (though that would seem to fit with the way she had described herself medically to Oin the night they all met, very blunt and to the point without much fuss).

Fili motioned to Kili, as they communicated through a single look, for him to stand behind Sam to keep her still as he popped the joint back in place and to keep her from falling if the pain caused her a momentary black out. "How did this happen anyway?" Fili took up position in front of Sam, one hand poised on the dislocated shoulder as the other one clamped firmly on the opposite shoulder, ensuring she didn't move and that Fili had leverage to get the bone back in place, Ori standing worriedly to the side, wondering if he and Dori had somehow caused her injury.

Sam didn't respond yet, only nodding at Fili as she relaxed, knowing it would hurt less if she wasn't tense, so Fili popped her shoulder back into place with a sickening crack, Kili catching Sam as she fell backwards, all of the breath leaving her lungs, her eyes wide, and suddenly very dizzy, the pain excruciating as the bones ground against each other and her stretched muscles protested.

Sam leaned against Kili for a few moments, regaining her breath and trying to quell her dizziness, succeeding and standing back up again, giving a grateful smile and nod to the brothers as they looked at her, still concerned, with slightly worried, but relieved smiles on their faces, though they dimmed slightly when they realized Sam was still holding herself very carefully, both of her arms stiff at her sides and slightly hunched, as if her chest hurt, clueing them in that she had other injuries, ones they could do nothing about at the moment.

The quartet of youngsters started walking down the Carrock trail, slightly behind the others of the Company, many of them with injuries of their own that were making them walk more slowly than they normally would, with Fili and Ori in front of Sam and Kili, with his hand on Sam's arm to steady her if need be, all of them wary of her tripping, knowing that she was slightly disoriented from the pain of her newly repositioned shoulder and whatever other injuries she had, their own injuries, gotten in the goblin tunnels and the subsequent fight with the orcs and wargs, throbbing, but more than manageable, especially in comparison to the injuries Sam seemed to have gained.

Kili was about to repeat his brother's earlier question about the origin of Sam's injury when Ori spoke, quietly and worriedly," Did your shoulder dislocate when you saved Dori and I from falling?"

Fili and Kili now looked at Sam and Dori, unaware of the fact that anyone had nearly fallen as they had been too focused on Azog and Thorin to notice, wanting to know what happened.

"Yes, Ori, it did." Sam sighed as Ori took on a guilty expression, Fili and Kili listening intently," Unfortunately you two's combined weight with your packs, and the force of your fall, was enough to pull it out of it's socket. " She gave the young scholar a tired, but comforting smile," But no harm done, Ori, your branch breaking and Dori slipping off of his was no one's fault and my injuries are not your fault either, they just happened and the situation couldn't be changed, besides, I would much rather have a dislocated shoulder and you walking with me now than not have either. You and Dori are more than worth a little pain." She smiled at Ori, knowing he felt responsible, but not blaming him a bit, sure that he would do the same for her.

She was still just glad they had all made it out alive, though she was sure they would all need some of the medicine they still had in all of their packs, packs that she couldn't believe they had kept a hold of through their whole ordeal, but glad for them all the same.

Ori wanted to argue with Sam, their weight pulling her shoulder out of it's socket had been their fault, even if the situation itself hadn't been, and he knew that a dislocated shoulder was not a 'little pain' to endure, especially when it was being pulled downwards on by two full grown dwarves and their fully stuffed packs, but he knew she would not accept that argument, that she would regard it as a necessary pain to endure to keep them safe, ever accepting of the things that must be done to ensure everyone's safety, her protective and caring nature knowing no bounds when it came to people she cared about.

It was like she saw them all as family and protected them selflessly as such, Ori's heart warming slightly at the thought, though his chest still felt chilled from the remnants of his fear and his remaining worry for Sam, his brothers, Thorin, and the Company.

Given that Ori obviously knew his friend well, all he could say to Sam, with the most honest and sincere smile, was," Thank you."

Sam only grinned at Ori wider, nodding her head at her friend, glad that he wasn't going to push the issue.

Fili and Kili looked even more confused than they already had, the other two not noticing the questioning looks on the princes' faces until Kili asked," Wait, what happened? Ori fell and then Dori slipped? How did that equal Sam dislocating her arm?"

Ori and Sam shared a look, rolling their eyes at their friends, amused, despite the situation, that the dynamic duo still managed to miss something, although they both knew they hadn't quite been paying attention to what was going on after Ori had fallen either, and forgave them for being similarly distracted.

So they told Fili and Kili what had happened, from their perspectives, since the wargs had driven them into the trees, this conversation continuing, with occasional questions and commentary interrupting at points, such as a discussion of Azog and what they all thought of him and why they didn't like wargs and stuff like that, until they got to the base of the Carrock, the conversation a welcome distraction for Sam from her pain.

"Alright, we will deal with our injuries and rest here for a few hours before continuing on."

Thorin's declaration was met by a chorus of relieved sighs as everyone plunked down in the shade of the trees that surrounded the Carrock, grateful for the chance to rest and recoup slightly.

Oin hurried over to Thorin with his pack, wanting to get his wounds from the warg bite cleaned and wrapped as soon as possible to prevent infection.

Fili and Kili also headed over to their uncle, wanting to make sure that he was alright.

Sam took a seat on a rock, lowering herself carefully to avoid jarring her shoulder and chest, not using her hands at all, as Ori went to check on his brothers, the rest of the Company checking on their respective family members before just lounging on the cool grass, waiting for Oin to finish with Thorin so the rest of their injuries could be tended to.

Sam just sat there, her eyes drifting closed as her exhaustion and pain asserted themselves, drawing her into a dreamless, light sleep, making her slump against the tree behind her.

A short time later Sam was jolted awake by a touch, only to find Oin kneeling in front of her, hand on her forehead checking for a fever, with Ori, Nori, and Dori standing behind him looking a combination of worried and relieved, worried about Sam and each other's injuries and relieved that they had all survived, that they were all alright.

Nori, after regrouping with his brothers at the bottom of the Carrock, drew Ori and Dori into a fierce hug, trembling, grateful to have them in his arms again, that he wouldn't have to figure out how to live without them, that they were alive after having watched them dangle over the cliff. Ori and Dori returned the hug just as fiercely, no one commenting on the fact that they were all trembling with relief and that there were wet spots on their shoulders from the happy tears they had shed at being reunited. They pressed their foreheads together, eyes closed, just breathing in each other's comforting scents and presence, the familiar and intimate gesture serving to ground them all, reminding them that they were all alive and well, but that there were injuries that needed tending, Nori rubbing the bump on his head as he drew back from his brothers, his arms still around them, as he was not quiet willing to let go yet.

It was then Ori remembered what he had sought them out to tell them, having forgotten when he was caught up in the emotion of seeing his brothers alright, telling them about Sam's dislocated shoulder, which he realized that his brother's already knew about, as they had heard it pop out to begin with. Nori and Dori were annoyed with themselves that they hadn't sought to help her with the injury to begin with, as distracted as they had been, it was wrong to not at least offer to pop it back in for her, especially considering she had gotten it by helping their family, rather than leave her to ask for help from Fili and Kili after they had already walked away. Ori continued with his description of the way Sam was holding herself, her other apparent injuries news to Nori and Dori, though Dori was sure the reason she was holding her arms so stiffly was because of pain in her wrists from how hard he had gripped them, and their weight pulling on them as well.

Thus, the brothers Ri walked over to where Oin was tending to Thorin, waiting patiently as he wrapped their king's ribs, glad to see he was alright. When Oin was finished with Thorin, they told him about Sam's dislocated shoulder, Fili and Kili adding in their own two cents, as they had been the ones to pop it back into place, the way Oin had taught them to years ago.

Thorin was proud of his nephews for helping Sam, but worried that she had gotten such an injury and had not sought out Oin herself. Dwalin pointed out, however, literally pointing over to where Sam was sitting, that she had fallen asleep, and that was why she hadn't come over herself. While the other dwarves had smiled at her slumped, sleeping form, Oin was displeased because of what it could mean for her injuries, so the old dwarf began to make his way over to their lass, Ori describing the way she had been holding her torso and arms, as well as Dori's ideas about what her other injuries may be informing Oin about what likely needed to be done.

Thus Sam woke up to Oin checking her for a fever.

The healer hummed, pleased," It doesn't appear that you 'ave a fever, which is good, as it means you likely don't have any badly broken bones." Sam just stared at him for a moment, completely confused in her newly awakened state, which Oin noticed," I'm just checking ya' for injuries lass. Ori told me how you had dislocated your shoulder when you kept him and Dori from falling, good catch by the way, so I'll also need a look at your shoulder, but that can wait for now since it's already back in place, unless it hurts more now than it did earlier?" Sam shook her head, so he continued," Ori also mentioned how you seemed to be moving very stiffly." He gave her a considering look," So what hurts, besides the obvious?"

Sam blinked, her gaze going between the brothers Ri and Oin, wondering why they had gone and gotten Oin for her when some of the other members of the Company probably had more pressing, bleeding injuries, like the burns on Fili and Kili's hands from the pinecones and Bifur and Bombur's scratches from the goblins (those probably need to be cleaned soon, cause those buggers probably had all sorts of crap on them that could get someone sick) before answering," Uhhhh, well, my chest hurts, but I think that's because of a bruise I got from being pulled against the branch...And my wrists, they hurt so bad I can barely move them."

"Alright then, let me see your hands." Oin held out his own hands for Sam to rest hers in, which she did gingerly, both still covered in her gauntlets and gloves. Oin looked at them with the armor still on, trying to determine whether there was any bleeding or skin punctures that Sam wasn't aware of because of the pain, before deciding that he could safely take her gauntlets and gloves off to get a better look.

"Ok, now lets get these off, shall we?" Sam only nodded as Oin began to unlace her left gauntlet, Dori kneeling beside her to do the same to the right. Both of her gauntlets were tighter on her arms than they should have been, clueing the two gray haired dwarves in that there was a considerable amount of swelling in her lower forearms.

So they eased off her gantlets, then slowly and gently began to pull and tug and wiggle her padded, long fingerless gloves off, all of those present hissing in commiseration when the very swollen and badly bruised flesh of her wrists was exposed, both wrists swollen to at least twice their normal size and an ugly band of black, purple, and some red around each joint.

Sam felt some of the ache in her wrists ease as the lack of constriction from her gauntlets and gloves allowed her blood to flow more easily into her injured wrists, the combination of the swelling and her armor having restricted her blood flow.

Oin looked at the bruises and swelling, an unhappy and analytical expression on his face, elevating her hands as gently as he could to look at them from all angles, then put both of her hands in one of his and promptly smacked Dori upside the head, surprising Sam and his brothers, as well as anyone else paying attention to them, Thorin, Fili, Kili, Balin, and Dwalin staring at them from where they were sitting, unable to see Sam's wrists and thus not quite understanding the action.

Gloin sat up straighter from his vantage point on a boulder, not far away in case his brother needed his help, trying to figure out what his brother was doing smacking Dori like that, but when he saw Sam's wrists he understood, and waved off the confused Broadbeams, who had all bolted upright from their sprawled positions on the ground, the others taking their cue from Gloin as Bilbo and Gandalf went to see what all the fuss was about.

Dori only rubbed the back of his head, the hit having not been very hard because Oin did not want to hurt anyone who was already hurt, taking it as the reprimand it was, looking sheepish and guilty, knowing he was the cause of the horrible state of Sam's wrists.

Oin glowered at Dori for a moment before turning back to Sam," From the state your wrists are in I would say that they are most likely fractured, or badly bruised and sprained at the very least." Oin looked at Dori again, Ori and Nori looking chagrined and worried, whispering quietly to each other about how they were going to make this up to her, how they were going to help her since she would probably be unable to do many things for a while," Her bones are not as strong as ours are, she is only part dwarf after all, and you are not exactly known for having a weak grip, Dori, you are lucky you didn't completely crush her wrists with the force of it. I doubt her grip even made so much as an imprint on your skin." Dori took stock of his wrists at that, realizing the healer was right, he didn't feel anything around his wrists except for some irritation where the cloth of his mittens had rubbed," I know you were trying not to fall Dori, but, still, you must be careful of your strength, and we must all be careful of how much power we put behind anything directed towards our lass, her body is not as durable as ours, so that must be taken into consideration at all times so we don't hurt her, or Bilbo for that matter. And don't you dare defend him young lady, or argue with me about anything I just said, it is all true and you know it, regardless of how you feel about being treated differently from anyone else for any reason, especially in life threatening situations."

The last comment was directed at Sam who had been about to speak, her mouth clicking shut under the force of Oin's reproachful, if kind, glare.

Oin sighed as he looked at her wrists again," I will need to apply a large amount of salve on these to reduce the swelling and dull the pain, and to wrap them considerably, with splints, so they are held steady as they heal. You will not be able to move them very much for at least a week, probably more, and there is nothing to be done about that, and there is really little else I can do. Time and rest are really the only things that can heal this kind of injury, all I can do is dull the pain and help the swelling go down, which may help it heal more quickly, if only slightly."

Oin started to rummage through his pack as Gandalf kneeled beside Sam, taking her hands and examining her injuries himself, deciding that he could not allow her to continue the journey so injured, unable to defend herself and do a variety of other necessary actions, so he began to speak in the same odd language that he had used on Thorin at the top of the Carrock, the swelling immediately going down and the bands of bruises turning a no less ugly shade of yellow and green, though that was a sign of a bruise well on it's way to healing completely.

Sam felt the trill of magic flow through her as Gandalf's mysterious words worked, her wrists, shoulder, and chest feeling infinitely better than they had moments before, staring at him, along with everyone else, at the effect his magic had wrought on her injuries.

Gandalf smiled, " Now, how do your injuries feel?"

Sam took her hands from Gandalf's gentle grip, flexing her hands, finding the action hurt much less than it had earlier, she cautiously began to rotate her wrists, slowly, finding her range of motion much restored, despite the action still hurting quite a bit.

Sam stared at Gandalf, thankfulness and wonder plain on her face," They feel much better, Gandalf, thank you...That was amazing." Sam stared at her hands until Oin took them in his again, looking over their new state as Nori, Ori, Dori, and Bilbo looked on, the brothers Ri looking very relived and muttering their thanks to Gandalf for healing Sam's injuries, which Ori and Dori still regarded as entirely their fault, glad that she wouldn't have to suffer through as much pain and discomfort as she would have if not for Gandalf's magic.

"That is amazing. Your wrists now look like they will only need some salve for the remaining swelling and pain. They still need wrapping, but no splints, and it will be alright to use them, just nothing too strenuous, we don't want to aggravate them too much while their still healing." Oin looked at the brothers Ri," And I'm sure that these three will be more than willing to help you with anything that aggravates them too much, won't you boys?"

Sam couldn't help but think, 'The bobble heads are back." the three brothers were nodding so hard.

Oin cut Sam off before she could even begin to form the protest he knew was coming," And you will accept their help, whether you like it or not, or else you'll be stuck with me helping you, and how independent do you think I'll let you be, hm?" Sam did not look amused by the threat, knowing Oin would probably let her do absolutely nothing if he was the one helping her, which would drive her nuts, so she nodded at Oin, a light glare of her own on her face as he began to put salve on her wrists.

Oin smiled, a glint in his eyes, at Sam's decidedly unhappy, but conceding, nod, glad his threat had worked and that she would listen to him and allow the brothers, obviously eager to help her in thanks for saving Dori and Ori, to do what she could not do herself, if only temporarily. Oin did not doubt that Sam's upbringing had a hand in her accepting defeat given her mother's stressing of dealing with injuries promptly and always doing as the healer said, glad that the hard headed child had an equally as hard headed mother.

Sam was incredibly independent for someone her age, she always did things by herself unless she knew she absolutely needed help, and even then she did not always ask, seeming to take trying to do whatever it was alone as a challenge to her intellect. She also seemed to always be surprised when someone helped her with something that was not learning related, as if she was accustomed to being denied help when she asked for it, and thus usually choosing to do things herself rather than ask for help she did not believe she would get.

Oin thought he might have to ask her about that tendency at some point, because, for dwarves at least, doing everything all by one's self, never asking for help, was a little odd, odder still considering Sam was always willing to give help, but not expecting to receive it. Yes, he would definitely have to ask her about it some time, might be a learning experience for them both, a thought that only made Oin smile, having grown terribly fond of Sam over the course of their journey, glad she had come along, especially considering it was her presence that had provided them with all the medical supplies he was now using to take care of the Company, and that Thorin had eventually warmed up to her.

It was at that thought that Oin remembered just how many years he had to get to know Sam better, which only made him gladder, but reminded him of the task at hand, he needed to take care of her wrists so the rest of her long life would not be plagued by pain from an improperly treated injury.

So Oin salved up and wrapped her wrists, checking on Nori, Dori, Ori, and Bilbo next, finding their injuries to be relatively minor and putting some of the appropriate salve where it was needed, before moving on to the other injured of the Company, promising to come back later to take a look at her shoulder and the bruise on her chest.

Gandalf and Bilbo walked off after assuring themselves that Sam was alright, asking the same question repeatedly only to get, surprisingly, the same answer every time, Sam shooing them away because she really didn't care for being fussed over as much as they were doing.

Sam turned back to the brothers that were still standing near her, about to tell them that they should go and rest and stop fussing over her, only to find Nori crouched right next to her, one of his hands gently guiding her forehead to his, the look in his eyes enough to shut her up, the utter honest relief and gratitude and appreciation and affection and trust in his gaze stopping her cold.

Nori rested his forehead against Sam's, the thumb of the hand on the back of her head lightly stroking her messy hair, an affectionate and calming gesture she had seen him use on Ori in the past, making sure he held her gaze, both of their eyes locked on the others, and said," Thank you Sam, thank you so much for saving my brothers. I don' know wha' I woul' have done if they had died today, falling off o' tha' thrice Mahal damned tree, so thank you, Sam. I don' know wha' woul' have happened if you weren't there an' I have never been so grateful for someone's actions before in my life. Thank you." Nori's eyes were bright with unshed tears and more emotion that Sam had ever thought she would see in them, his voice wavering slightly, showing just how much it really did mean to him.

Sam felt her own eyes tearing up at the emotion in Nori's eyes, but she was determined to make these lovable goofballs understand that they owed her nothing because she was sure they would do the same for her, and because, as far as she was concerned, the Company was her family now, and would be for the foreseeable future, especially if she had any say about it.

Her reply to the emotional statement, she hoped, reflected how she felt, "You don't need to thank me, Nori, you really don't, not for anything. You guys would do the same for me and that is enough. Besides, I couldn't just let them die, I care about them too much to allow that to happen, I care about all of you too much to allow anything like that to happen."

Nori smiled at her softly, glad to know she cared as much about them as they had grown to care about her, surprised at just how much his opinion of her had changed in just a few short months.

In the beginning of this journey, Nori had not trusted Sam, at all, because she had appeared too suddenly, too willing to help them, too kind, too innocent, too understanding, too curious, and too...too not anything like any human he had ever met. Nori had liked her to begin with, in spite of his better judgement and what life had taught him, even if he didn't trust her, because she was funny and sarcastic, she was friendly enough to garner friendly treatment from him, because he really couldn't justify being rude when she had done nothing to deserve it. As the journey had gone on, he had fully expected her to start acting differently, to go from being the friendly and witty woman she had first appeared to be to something he was more familiar with, a human who disdained and disliked dwarves and only wanted some of their gold, but she didn't, she continued to be polite and helpful and willing to learn and exactly the person she had appeared to be at the beginning, nothing changed, and he hadn't known what to make of that at the time.

Sam had slowly wiggled her way into his closely guarded heart, intentionally or not, with the honesty in everything she did, the sincerity of her actions, her unusual opinions of the world, her stories, her songs, her cooking, her ability to take what they taught her and apply it, proving her worth in battle, all of it being entirely contrary to what he had initially thought she would be, who he had thought she really was, and her willingness to trust and listen to him, the way few people, besides his brothers, had in a very long time, that had been what really endeared her to him, what really made him see that he had been wrong, because a person who was truly interested in helping the Company, with being friends with all of the dwarves because she honestly liked them, was probably the only person who would look past what he was, a thief, and embrace it, wanting to learn everything he had to teach, hear all of his stories of his exploits, and completely trust him enough to allow him to teach her to defend herself, essentially putting her life in his hands. Anyone who meant the Company harm would not be foolish enough to do that, not with someone who was notorious for making a living out of deceiving people and seeing through lies, notorious even within the Company for such things, because it would have meant eminent discovery, and death for their treachery.

Everything else Sam had done since the day she had dubbed him Zorro just serving to prove his new assessment of her correct; that day had been the breaking point for some reason, the way she had looked so dismayed when Thorin suspected her of surreptitiously insulting himself and Dwalin, honestly hurt by the distrust, though she had quickly masked it, had awakened a protectiveness in him that usually only appeared where Dori and Ori were concerned (a protectiveness that has been, recently, applying to the Company as well), and had prompted him to acknowledge just how much he had come to truly like her in the month he had known her, at the time, and how it was, unexpectedly swiftly, turning into a healthy amount of affection, which had only grown from that day forward, that colored his actions towards her and his treatment of her (such as how he had poked her to get her to eat that night they had realized just how much weight she had lost, if she had been almost anyone else, not in the Company, he wouldn't have cared, but she had somehow earned the same slight protectiveness from him that Ori and Dori got), apparently only serving to endear him more to her in the process.

However, despite how much he had come to care for her, Sam still didn't have his trust because she was still some random woman that had shown up out of nowhere to help them, but the way she had worried for them, taken care of them when they were hurt, accepted whatever odd situations they found themselves in (the fountain incident, for example) without complaint, and done whatever she could to help them had made him want to trust her.

Now that she had saved his brother's lives, for no other reason than she cared about them too, and had suffered quite a bit of pain to do it, that changed everything, he devotion to the Company and their quest unquestionable in his eyes, thus she had his affection, his friendship, his protection, and, now, she had his trust, and that meant, for Nori at least, that she had his loyalty as well, because his trust was a hard won trust, and, once someone had earned it they had it for life and in all things, unless they did something awful to lost it, and he didn't think Sam could ever do something that would warrant that.

That trust and affection, and his gratefulness, is what caused Nori's eyes to regain some of their normal defiance, determined to convince Sam that what she had done had not been something minor, though they would do the same for her, that a thank you was far less than she deserved, that thanking her and helping her when she needed it was the least they could do, but Dori beat him to it.

Dori gently, ever so gently, wary of the warning that Oin had just given, took Sam's chin and turned it toward him, touching his forehead to hers and holding her gaze just as Nori had," No, Sam, we do need to thank you, knowing we would do the same for you is not enough, and we care about you too, Sam, so very much, but that is not enough. You saved our lives today, Sam, in the middle of an already dangerous situation where the odds were not in our favor, you risked your life to save us." Dori held up a finger to silence the protest Sam was about to voice," You did risk your life to save us, because if the branch had broken, if you had overshot your lunge, if anything else had happened besides what actually did, you, I, and Ori would be dead right now, but we are not, thanks to you. You were not the only one in a position to try and catch us, but you were the only one who reacted fast enough to do it, and endured the pain of a dislocated shoulder and fractured wrists to keep us from falling. Sam, think about the things you have learned about dwarves from Balin," Sam took on a pensive look at that," dwarves value their families more than anything, you know that, and you just saved most of ours from a horrible fate, something that truly puts us in your debt, though I know you will not accept nor condone anyone being in your debt for any reason, or allow them to do anything to repay it because you feel there is nothing to repay, so we will not ask you to nor press it, I promise, but, Sam, you must understand that, given the circumstances, given that you are not a dwarf, given that you have little to no battle experience, given that you don't like heights, given that we only met about two and a half months ago, given that we were about to be eaten by wargs or killed by orcs or fall to our deaths on a blasted tree of all things, what you did was amazing, because of how much it means you care for us and how much you have learned in so little time, something that many experienced warriors and adventurers and what have you could not have managed to do, and yet you did. You made a situation that would otherwise have meant certain death survivable with your quick thinking and your actions, that is nothing small, that is something major that deserves more than a thank you and some help, though that is all that I know you will accept, it is something that is usually deserving of a grand reward and accolades," Sam's incredulous expression made him chuckle," but we do not have the time nor the means to provide those for you in thanks, we also do not have the time to convince you that you deserve them," Sam rolled her eyes at him, slightly exasperated, but touched all the same," so know this, if, during this journey or when we have retaken Erebor, you are ever in need of anything, you have only but to ask, and we will try to help. I know you probably won't, but, Sam, we have no other way at the moment to express our gratitude to you for your actions, and we have to do something, our consciences would not allow it."

"Dori, all I need, all I want from all of you, is for you to live, and your friendship, that is all I could ever want from any of you. I don't need accolades or anything for taking care of people I care about, and that offer of help goes both ways, you all have already given me so much, a new life, a home, friends, and...a family," here she paused waiting to see their reactions, finding Nori, Ori and Dori looking inordinately happy at her declaration, she continued," that the least I could do was make sure we all lived, so we can all enjoy the fruits of this quest in the coming years together. So, it really is enough."

Dori had been suspicious of Sam at the beginning, just as Nori had, but he trusted her now, and always would, as he had trusted her not to drop him and Ori. He was glad Gandalf had insisted she come with them, or else he and Ori might have died, and he was glad she looked at the Company like family, because they were all beginning to look at each other, and her, that way too, and it would not have happened as easily and as quickly without her to act as a catalyst.

Ori now took Sam's chin from Dori and touched his forehead to hers, smiling softly all the while, not saying anything because they both already knew how he felt about the situation, and he had always trusted her, always considered her a friend, and had considered her to be like a sister to him in many ways early on, because of the way she acted towards the Company and the way she treated him as an individual, respectful yet guiding, despite that fact that he was much older than her.

The quartet was brought out of their emotional conversation by a loud shout and burst of crude curses from Dwalin as Oin rubbed salve into his burns.

Dori sighed, "Alright, I suppose we should all get some rest. Do you need anything Sam?"

She shook her head no, Dori touched his forehead to each of his brothers' and hers and went to find a spot to rest, glad that they had been able to thank Sam properly, even if she would never accept anything more than a thank you, and some aide, whether she wanted it or not, as a show of their gratitude.

Nori and Ori followed Sam as she went to a cooler spot, touching their foreheads to hers and each other's before settling nearby, next to Dori, all asleep within seconds, Gandalf's magic protecting Sam's dreams, for now.

/Oh, should My People Fall, then/

I had not anticipated this chapter becoming what it has, but I am pleased nonetheless. I hope the feelings of the brothers Ri in regard to Sam are apparent here, this is supposed to be a major turning point in the emotions of the Company, not just those three, regarding Sam, they had all welcomed her as a friend at the beginning, a life long one in Rivendell, but now we are going to see how this changes even more because of what they are beginning to understand the Company is becoming, and the fact that everything might have been different without Bilbo and Sam there, but I will say no more on the subject.

Next time we will have the hairy man himself, Beorn, make his appearance.


	8. Chapter 8

Standard disclaimers apply!

This one's a tear jerker.

/Surely I'll do the Same/

Eventually everyone woke up from their naps, feeling much better for having rested and had their injuries seen to.

Bifur and Bombur's goblin scratches were now much less puffy than they had been, Kili and Fili's backs feeling less sore after stretching them out and the burns on their hands cooler after Oin had rubbed in salve (they couldn't help but think that Sam had been much more gentle about it when she had done the same thing), Bofur's nose had salve and a cover on it so the gash would stay protected, all cuts and bruises on the faces of Balin, Oin, Gloin, Thorin (his warg bite and bruised ribs hurt much less after Oin gave him, and Sam, tea that dulled the pain) and Dwalin tended to, as were the burns and splinters everyone had gotten from the fire and trees.

Oin had been sure that Nori didn't have a concussion before he went to sleep, Ori's bruised cheek and Dori's bruised jaw now throbbing far less than they had been initially because of some leaves that Oin had stuck to their faces, they apparently reduced swelling when left to sit, bruised, on someone's skin.

Now all they needed was to eat, and they would be ready to head out.

Oin puttered around, adding more salve to burns and abrasions that had absorbed the medicine during the hours they had spent sleeping, glaring at Sam until she sat back down when she tried to help, Ori deciding to help in her stead, as the Company rummaged through their packs for the food they could eat without cooking it, such as jerky, nuts, hardtack, and dried fruit.

Dori was pulling out food for Sam, the rest of the Company rather amused at the resigned look Sam had on her face, knowing all too well how she disliked not being able to do things for herself, when Oin asked her to follow him behind some of the trees, so she could show him her shoulder and bruised chest without anyone else seeing. (not that she actually cared all that much about them seeing her bare shoulder or bra clad chest, after all, she had wandered around in bikinis before, but knew they would all be scandalized if she did)

While Oin was checking on the state of Sam's other injuries, the brothers Ri finally clued the rest of the Company in to what exactly had happened with Dori, Ori, and Sam, some not knowing anything about what had happened, like Fili and Kili initially hadn't, others knowing about it, but not the extent of her injuries, such as Gloin, who had been perched with Oin behind Gandalf, the person who had been nearest to Sam, Ori, and Dori to begin with.

To say the Company was surprised about what exactly she had managed to do was an understatement, but the reason she had done it, because she saw the Company as her family now, because she was grateful for all they had given her, because all she wanted was for them all to stay alive and safe, and the way she wanted absolutely nothing for it but their continued friendship, had only served to warm their hearts and make them all the more fond of her, making quite a few of them acknowledge, mentally, how they shared the sentiment, in regard to her and the rest of the Company.

Most of them couldn't help but think, at this point, after all the things that Sam had said and done to help them and take care of them, so unlike anything they had ever expected from her, like the way she put up with everything that happened and all of their antics, and now how she considered the Company her family and was willing to suffer for any of their sakes, considering what Ori, Dori, and Nori had told them about their conversation with Sam, that the Valar had meant for Sam to come with them (if only they knew just how true that was), to appear at Bag End that day and accompany them on this quest because they knew the Company would need her help to succeed, as well as her kindness, her love, her protection, and her faith in them to make them keep going when they felt hopeless, or angry or sad or too proud to ask for help, because she always seemed to be spurring them on somehow, whether it be with a witty remark, her diplomatic skills, her presence, her devotion to them, or the fact that she needed their help too, because she otherwise would be alone without any friends, or skills, to help her survive in this world, her need for them echoed in their need for her.

Sam and Oin returned before too long, the healer apparently pleased with that state of her other injuries, though he had decided it would be best for her not to carry her pack for the next few days at least, Nori tugging Sam's pack toward him before she had a chance to object, earning him a sigh and roll of her eyes to which he only grinned cheekily.

The Company looked at their lass as she walked back toward them, tugging on the hem of her tunic as Oin forced her to stop for a moment to adjust her coat for her, as it had fallen off of her injured shoulder in her attempts to adjust the other side without her hands, proud and appreciative expressions on their faces for all she had done, their eyes softened by the increasing amount of affection they had for her and the understanding they were all beginning to gain about just what the Company was becoming, and how she was a big part of why it was happening.

Sam's personality, sense of humor, and friendly nature acted to break down any barriers existing between the members of the Company, such as two inherently different dwarves like Nori and Dwalin working together to teach her to fight or helping Thorin lighten up and be less intimidating, making it easier for them all to get to know each other better, to learn to trust each other's abilities and judgements more easily (because Sam trusted them all implicitly and had complete faith in their abilities, even when they didn't themselves, her faith rubbing off, to a degree, onto others in the Company), to find the things they all had in common to help them get along, even when tempers were running high or when everyone was frustrated, and helping them to bond, through shared laughter and learning and fun, as well as by surviving difficult and dangerous situations, like the goblin tunnels, together.

They all knew that without Sam to defend them in their stunned stupor right after Gandalf showed up, they wouldn't have been able to grab their packs and would have probably been more gravely injured, which would have forced them all to contend with worse injuries without relief from pain or safety from infection due to the lack of medical supplies, let alone the better supplies that the elves of Rivendell had provided them at Sam's behest, which would have made the rest of their journey much more painful and difficult if not less friendly, as a dwarf in pain was not a friendly one, which probably would have strained any newly formed bonds and given trust, keeping them from continuing to grow close, or at least impeding the rate at which it might have occurred otherwise, preventing them from becoming the family they were slowly turning into, as odd and patchworked as it was.

Their mutual desire to keep Sam from the harm the goblins could cause her had also acted as a rallying point in the tunnels, one that made them all more fierce and coordinated, their increased faith in each other's ability to fight evident in how they had relied on each other to watch everyone's backs during the fight, rather than constantly just worrying about their own safety because they knew that they would all defend each other as fiercely as they were trying to protect Sam, meaning they spent less time watching their own backs and more time killing goblins that go too close to any member of the Company, keeping them all safer and increasing the speed of their escape.

It was with these thoughts in mind that the Company then began to eat their meal, though they were as loud as usual, the thoughts of their increasing trust and care for each other more comforting than anything at this point, the idea that they would all look out for each other for the rest of their journey as if they were family heart warming considering the dangers they had yet to face, namely Smaug.

Their eating noises no longer phasing Bilbo, who, at some point, had come to regard them as comforting, as he munched on his food quietly, Sam accepting her food from Dori after she sat down. All of them were very hungry after the adventures of the previous night and day, but still only ate the rations for one meal, while washing it all down with some water from their flasks and water skins.

Gandalf then told the Company of a friend that lived relatively nearby, a half a day's trek away, who might be willing to offer them shelter and a safe place to rest for a few days before they truly continued with their quest, Thorin acknowledging that this would be wise, all of them needing more than a few hours rest to be able to make the next leg of their journey swiftly.

So Gandalf led the Company off into the surrounding forrest, Nori carrying Sam's pack as well as his own, Dwalin forcibly removing Thorin's from his shoulders, not willing to let his stubborn friend carry it with his injuries, Fili and Kili preventing their uncle from taking it back as Oin berated him for trying to carry it in the first place, lamenting that he wasn't as obedient as Sam was in obeying his medical orders, prompting Sam to give Thorin a smug grin, at which he only glared sullenly before stomping off after Gandalf. The rest of the Company managed rather well, all things considered, keeping pace and plodding on behind Gandalf, silently agreeing with Oin and laughing at the way Sam was prancing ahead of them (now not weighed down by her pack) to bug Thorin for being a stubborn, brooding git, which she usually did by telling him inane and pointless stories to try and get him to stop brooding and focus less on the fact they were both injured.

/Confined in Mountain Halls We/

The sound of a great beast's roar reverberated through the forest.

"What was that?"

Bilbo's question was the same as that in the minds of the entire Company as they all looked around, their weapons now drawn and ready to fight.

"Do not worry about that for now, we must move quickly. We need only go through this last portion of the forest and through a field, and we will be at my friend's house."

Gandalf's statement did nothing to quell their worries, but they heeded the wizard, and increased their pace, all but running through the last of the forest.

Then they heard the beast's roar again, closer and right behind them.

"Run, run quickly now! We need only get to the house before it does!"

Whatever 'it' was was gaining on them at an incredible pace, if the sounds of breaking trees and growls were any indication, spurring the Company to out right sprint for the house they could see in the middle of a golden field, surrounded by a wall and tall trees.

Bombur bounced off the stuck double doors when he hit them, everyone else stopping before they could do the same.

The Company ended up ramming the door, as one, with their shoulders (Sam and Thorin standing to the side), getting it open just as a great bear like beast came out of the forest, running straight towards them at break neck speed.

The great beast managed to get part of it's snout through the door before they had completely closed it, prompting Sam to kick it in the nose as best she could without falling over, as it was a rather tall beast, making it retreat long enough in surprise to allow them to shut the door, only to then discover that had been their host, Beorn, in his bear form, as he was a skin changer.

The Company did not know what to make of this news, mumbling to each other about whether or not they could trust someone with so little control over their wilder half, noting how Sam rolled her eyes at their ridiculous suspicions and premature judgements of someone they had yet to actually meet, also noting how the younger dwarves were reserving judgement until they met the skin changer, following Sam's lead, again reminding the older dwarves of how their tendency to quickly jump to conclusions often bit them in the ass, as with the elves and their green food, so they all decided to shut up.

Gandalf only chuckled at the way they were learning to be more accepting of others and their differences from someone so much younger than they, Sam's wisdom beyond her years having made an impression on them all, especially Fili, Kili, and Ori, as they were the most impressionable and were not yet set in their ways, ways the older dwarves were slowly beginning to see were flawed and needed to change, something they were slowly accomplishing.

Gandalf told them all to rest, as it was night again and they had only gotten a few hours rest in the last two days, so they all set out their bedrolls near the fire and went to sleep.

Sam was propped up slightly on her back to keep pressure off her shoulder and wrists, slipping into a deep sleep that would reveal the horrors of things yet to come to pass by making her see them as they would be, if nothing was done to change them.

/Got too Close to the Flame!/

_The Company roared out of the gates of Erebor, Thorin leading the charge decked out in full royal battle regalia, the gold on his armor reflecting what little light there was coming from the ominously clouded sky, as he held Orcrist high, ready to attack, his shield at the ready, the manic look in his eyes making him look like a true dwarvish berzerker._

_Fili and Kili flanked their uncle on either side, wearing gleaming silver colored armor that looked out of place on them, as they had only ever worn leather armor before, Fili wielding two swords, not the ones that he had used for the entirety of the journey to Erebor, but ones taken from the Erebor armory because his old ones were still being held hostage by Thranduil, his lack of familiarity with the weapons apparent in the way he held them in an awkward grip, unused to their greater weight; Kili had a sword and a shield, the bulky pieces of metal looking unnatural and uncomfortable in the hands of someone who had always preferred a bow, his stance too broad to defend and attack effectively, looking like he was about to topple over at their weight._

_The looks on the faces of the princes so unlike their usual expressions, instead of looking confident and eager, with hints of mirth, they now looked scared and unsure, but determined, their youth only too apparent as their eyes widened in horror, looking appalled at the sight of the carnage of war, at the bodies littering the battle field, some without heads or limbs, eyes open revealing soulless and dead eyes looking at the sky._

_They weren't ready for war, they didn't want to be in one, they were too young and still too innocent to deal with this, but their innocence was forfeit as they stood on that battle field, their faith in the kindness and beauty of the world and it's people dying every second they watched another person die, cruelly, at the hands of dark creatures, hearts once so full of faith, love, laughter, warmth, and joy slowly dying as they realized they had been living in a fairy tale world where wars were things in far away lands, where horrible deeds of cruelty and hate were myths from scary stories told in the dark of night, where people were not monstrous beings cutting down other beings mercilessly, where light, laughter, love, and fun all existed without a price, a price the two princes would now have to pay in the real world._

_Ori looked entirely out of place in full armor, the mail skirt too long for him, twin war axes in his unsteady in his hands, a helm too big sitting low over his eyes. He didn't know how to use those weapons, not really, he had only ever had basic training in them, his lack of experience showing in the odd way he brandished the axes in front of him._

_Ori looked as terrified as Fili and Kili did, the color slowly draining from his face as his eyes widened, his innocence also a price to be paid on this battle field, wondering how it ever came to this, how protecting their hard won home had become this horrible thing called war, how their Company had changed from a bunch of rag tag dwarves into a group of soldiers, how this was going to change all of their lives for the worse, because Ori had no doubt that they would lose at least one Company member in this war, and they would all be forever changed and haunted by the loss, the loss of their friend, their loved one, of the life that might have been, and all that would never be._

_The rest of the Company, the gentle and kind dwarves that they had once been, were transformed into soldiers, clad in armor and weapons more menacing and disturbing than any they had ever wielded before, transformed into obedient pawns of war, of treasure and gold, of their king, and like their king they had all fallen prey to the dragon sickness, their minds ruled by the irrational desire and drive to protect what they deemed theirs, gone were the dwarves that had once loved to joke and sing and play instruments and enjoy life, replaced by raging and violent creatures ruled by greed and hate for those who dared try to take what was theirs, no trace visible of the dwarves they had once been in the enraged visages of their faces, the expressions unnatural on the faces of dwarves so known for their infectious smiles._

_The change was beyond disturbing, especially to those that knew them best, Fili, Kili, and Ori scared of the people their friends and family had become._

_Bofur was no longer the dwarf that had gotten on a stool to sing "The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late" with a jig, he no longer laughed heartily or smiled brightly, the merry twinkle in his eyes gone, replaced by a shadowy darkness, a darkness that seemed to suck all kindness and light from his face, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the kind hearted, joyous and mischievous toymaker._

_Bifur was no longer the dwarf who had spent hours perfecting his life like bird toy so he could give it to Estel, he no longer chuckled in amusement or gestured emphatically, that spark for life in his eyes that shone brighter for his family and friends put out, replaced by an emptiness that pulled all energy and joy from his being into the void, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the eccentric, gentle and intelligent toymaker._

_Bombur was no longer the dwarf who had caught eggs in his mouth that night in Bag End, he no longer hungered for or enjoyed food, his appetite for laughter and fun gone, replaced by a different kind of hunger, a hunger for things that would never fill the emptiness that now existed in his chest, his very heart, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the quiet, thoughtful and creative cook._

_Nori was no longer the dwarf that had once been an avid protector and provider for his family, he was no longer sarcastic and crafty, that spark of mischief that had always been in his eyes snuffed out, replaced by a selfishness that devoured all that made him a good dwarf, devouring his compassion and generosity, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the cheeky, smart and caring thief._

_Dori was no longer that dwarf that fussed over his family and friends, he was no longer mothering or kind, the inherent softness of his eyes destroyed, replaced by a hardness that crushed all that made him so devoted and protective of those he loved, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the caring, proper and strong protector._

_Gloin was no longer the dwarf that missed his family and helped his brother, he was no longer fatherly and comforting, the fierce loyalty and love for his family and friends no longer shone in his eyes, replaced by a icy coldness that froze his heart, keeping him from feeling all the strong emotions he was known for, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the fiery, reliable and devoted warrior._

_Oin was no longer the dwarf that took care of the Company when they were hurt, he was no longer patient or gentle, the caring and calculating look in his eyes changed, changed in to a cool detachment that gave him a clinical, cruel eye where once there had been a sympathetic and kind one, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the determined, knowledgeable and responsible healer._

_Dwalin was no longer the dwarf that protected all of those he loved and cared for to the best of his ability, he no longer brought a feeling of safety and surety, the fierce protectiveness in his eyes perverted, perverted into a terrifying animosity that turned the strength he had once used to make others feel safe into a monstrous thing that promised a cruel and painful death, leaving someone unrecognizable as the kind, intelligent and loyal warrior._

_Balin was no longer the dwarf that had been the grandfatherly advisor to the entire Company, he was no longer understanding and merry, the knowing kindness omnipresent in his gaze absent, replaced by merciless depravity that destroyed and massacred any that stood in his way, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the wise, comforting and faithful scholar._

_Thorin was no longer the dwarf that had wanted to give his family and people a better life, he was no longer a compassionate leader or uncle, the intelligence and pride in his eyes gone, replaced by a frenzied, directionless fury that only sought to keep the traitors and their pawns away from his gold, his mountains of precious gold, at any cost, leaving someone unrecognizable as the passionate, loving and dedicated king, uncle, and friend._

_This is what Sam saw from her vantage point upon Raven Hill, Fili, Kili, and Ori, the only dwarves of the Company to not fall prey to the dragon sickness, because they had never valued gold as much as the older dwarves did, preferring the warmth of their family and friends to the cold presence of metal, terrified of what lay before them, and beside them._

_The majority of her dwarves looked nothing like the kind, lovable, and boisterous goofballs she had come to know and love, she didn't recognize them and didn't know what to do to get them back, horrified at what the thrice damned treasure of Erebor had wrought upon her family, how it had changed them into monsters, how it had changed them as it had changed Thror, with the same disastrous results._

_The orcs and goblins in front of the gates of Erebor swarmed the Company, their small formation of just thirteen dwarves swiftly broken apart in the onslaught, the families that made up the Company fighting side by side, back to back against the creatures, slicing, stabbing, crushing, and defending as more and more orcs and goblins attacked them, eager to kill a member of Thorin Oakenshield's Company and earn their master's favor by allowing him his revenge against the line of Durin._

_None of the Company, the older dwarves in their incensed frenzy, the youngest three because they did not know how to deal with so many enemies at once, barely able to keep them all at bay, their terror at what was going on around them and worry over the people they cared about only serving to distract them further, noticed what else was going on, how they were slowly being separated by larger and larger distances from the safety and reassuring presence of their fellows, the only reinforcements in sight, the armies of Mirkwood, Esgaroth, and the Iron Hills on the other side of the sea of dark bodies, unable to lend them aide should they be overwhelmed, should anyone be gravely injured and unable to defend themselves, unable to be defended by the people who loved them, unaware that Azog and Bolg were slowly making their way towards Thorin, Fili, and Kili._

_The two Gundabad orcs and their wargs making their way easily towards their goal, the other orcs and the goblins parting to let them pass, the pleased, evil smiles on their faces chilling Sam to the bone._

_Sam renewed her attempts to get to the royals, desperate to warn them, to protect them, to keep her worst fears from coming true, cutting down orcs and goblins left and right as she spun and twirled and ducked and jumped and stabbed and slashed and rolled, just as she had been taught, never giving any ground because she was already too far away, she couldn't let herself get pushed even further from her dwarves, because they needed her now, more than ever before, because if she didn't get to them, if she didn't make them see sense, didn't make Thorin see sense, then they would fall, and she couldn't let that happen, her heart wouldn't be able to take it, it would break if they died because she couldn't do anything._

_So Sam fought, watching the Company from the corner of her eye, watching them fight like dwarves possessed, allowing their enemies openings they shouldn't have gotten, all of them getting hurt, Fili, Kili, and Ori because they were defending their reckless family members, slowly making her way towards the heirs of Durin, but she wouldn't get there in time to defend them from Azog and Bolg. The realization just renewed her desperation, making her even deadlier on the battle field, the need to protect those she loved so dearly overwhelming in it's intensity, making her single minded in her fighting, increasing her speed, but not enough._

_The Battle of the Five Armies roared around them all, elves, dwarves, men, orcs, and goblins falling every which way you turned, death everywhere._

_Sam fought her way towards Thorin, Fili, and Kili in what felt like minutes, but were actually hours, her world freezing as Azog and Bolg finally reached them._

_Thorin stared at the bastard that had murdered his grandfather, his father, and his little brother, his rage heightening until no trace of the usually level headed dwarf remained, he charged the Great White Orc, attacking him without strategy or awareness, just striking haphazardly, trying to hurt the beast who had taken people he loved from him, who had hurt him so much that his heart ached for those lost to this very day._

_Azog easily deflected Thorin's strong, but directionless blows, his malicious grin widening as he took in just how unhinged the king had become, knowing he would tire soon, the force of his blows unsustainable, only to make his technique even more sloppy and easily defended against, relishing the idea that he would be able to kill the damned dwarf relatively easily, in the most dishonorable and humiliating fashion possible._

_Fili and Kili faced off against Bolg, the dual mace wielding devil spawn of Azog sharing in the same malicious smile as his father, instantly beginning an onslaught of attacks, their force punishing, enough to break a dwarf's bones easily with a glancing blow, let alone a solid hit._

_Fili launched himself at Bolg, parrying and ducking, trying to get past his defenses, land a hit, do something, anything, trying to get past Bolg to get to Thorin, because both he and Kili knew that if they left their uncle alone to fight, he would surely die, in no mental state to take on someone like Azog alone._

_Bolg only pushed the brother's back, knocking Kili over when he tried to ram Bolg with his shield, attempting to knock the hulking behemoth off balance so they could gain the upper hand, only for it to backfire on him, his lack of familiarity with the sword and shield causing him to be unable to catch himself, falling hard to the ground, the orc quickly moving to stand above him, poised to strike._

_Bolg focused his attack on Kili now, the downed dwarf barely able to roll away from the mace aiming for his head, trying to find an opportunity to regain his feet, Fili jumping on Bolg's back, stabbing through both of his shoulders with his swords, because no one threatened his little brother and lived._

_The beast howled in anger and pain, paying the price for having ignored one brother in favor of the other, Bolg threw Fili off and onto the ground, landing a blow on the heir's torso before Kili sliced through the muscles of his upper arm, making the offending appendage go limp, but the damage was done, Fili was now bleeding, the right side of his chest punctured and crushed by the mace, but he hauled himself back up any way, because the incensed Bolg, his lack of experience when compared to his father showing, made the same mistake again, giving Fili an opening for an attack._

_So, once again, the older brother attacked the exposed back of the orc, stabbing him through the middle, thinking that would kill Bolg, or at least bring him to his knees, but no, the creature only became more enraged, his remaining functional arm coming around and was about to hit Fili, when Kili's shield appeared just in time to take the blow._

_Kili's quick actions to defend his brother had a price though, his left arm now shattered from the force of the blow from the mace, the shield having collapsed on impact, the old piece of metal's flaws causing it to crumple, meaning Kili's arm took the force of the blow more than anything, his bones unable to withstand the power of it._

_Both of Thorin's heirs were wounded now, standing against the equally wounded, but still very deadly, Bolg, Fili's breathing was going wet as blood entered his lungs, a broken rib having punctured it when he had been hit with the mace, his left arm as useless as his brother's, dropping his other sword, he clamped his arm to his side in an attempt to stop the bleeding, standing next to Kili, his sword raised, standing together as they always had._

_Kili kept his shield up as best he could, sword brandished, as he and Fili gave ground to Bolg, trying to figure out how in the world they were going to kill him when they were wounded and were unable to use their weapons to their advantage because, even with only one arm at his disposal and bleeding profusely, Bolg's attacks were still strong and fast, both brother's knowing that if they were hit again, they would likely not get up, either because they were unable or Bolg got to them first._

_They were completely taken by surprise when they suddenly heard a familiar voice roaring a battle cry to their left, Sam bursting through the wall of orcs and goblins around them in a high jump, landing on Bolg's back, only to slit his throat open and jump back to the ground, kneeling for a moment, covered in blood and panting, her own eyes slightly wild with adrenaline, though they simultaneously calmed and became wide with worry at the sight of the injured Fili and Kili._

_Bolg's final breaths were accompanied by an anguished cry from Thorin, the three turning as one, only to see Thorin being sent flying through the air after a direct hit from Azog's mace to his chest, Thorin's golden armor having collapsed, no doubt his rib cage in a similar state, as Azog advanced on Thorin, fully intending to end him right then and there, not counting on Sam, Fili, and Kili having defeated his son, and charging toward him, all of their swords raised, Sam in front of the brothers, not really wanting them to fight Azog, but unable to stop them and not crazy enough to believe she could defeat the monster by herself._

_Fili and Kili stabbed at his flanks, legs, and back as Sam did a series of whirls with her blades, attempting to confuse the orc as she tried to maneuver herself between Azog and Thorin, failing when he simply struck out with his mace, forcing Sam into a roll, her momentum lost, further away from the downed king that she had originally been._

_Fili and Kili's attack strengthened with renewed vigor, their outrage and fear at Thorin, and now Sam, being down because of Azog, unaware that Sam was unscathed by the devilish mace of the orc, the two pushed their way around Azog, eventually coming to stand in front of the still conscious, but gravely injured Thorin, who started attempting to stand up when he saw his nephews defending him, some of the real Thorin showing through in that moment, the fear for his nephew's lives bringing him partially back to himself, but too late._

_Fili and Kili kept attacking Azog, trying to overwhelm him the way only they could, but they were not fast enough now, Fili's blood loss and Kili's pain making them sloppier and slower than usual, and that was all Azog needed._

_Kili was hit first, Azog's mace ripping his shield from his arm, sending it flying, Kili screaming in pain as his already badly damaged arm was dislocated as well, leaving him open to another attack, Azog swung his mace in an upward arc, catching Kili in the chest, shoulder, and neck, sending him flying backwards, only for him to land in a heap just in front of Thorin, bleeding profusely from his wounds, he didn't get up._

_Thorin's attempts to get himself up, to protect his nephews, hampered as he began to cough up blood, noticing that Sam had been swarmed by more goblins and orcs where she had ended up after her roll, unable to see her under the ugly mass of writhing bodies on top of her, though Thorin could see her daggers piercing through them from time to time, telling him she was still alive, only trapped._

_Fili cried in dismay as he saw his brother get hit, as he didn't get up, a rage taking him, he charged Azog, only for the orc to stab him in the stomach with his metal prosthetic hand, further ripping his existing injuries, his insides becoming slightly visible through the rips and tears in his abdominal wall. Azog finished Fili with a blow to the upper chest, the older brother landing right next to his nadadith, his hand automatically going to his brother's, glad to feel a weak grip in return, telling him that Kili still lived, for now, just as he did, both of them all too aware they were dying._

_Thorin roared as he saw his elder nephew fail to get up from his landing place, just as his younger nephew had, the cold fear that chilled his heart forcing him to his feet, he needed to get to Fili and Kili, his precious boys, he needed to protect them from this horror that he had brought upon them, he needed them to live, because, if they didn't, he would never be able to forgive himself, he wouldn't be able to live with the grief of knowing that the two boys he had raised died because of his stupidity, that they suffered so for him, all for him._

_So Thorin charged at Azog again, his usual skill in battle returning to him with his senses, trying to push Azog away from his precious nephews, Azog completely flabbergasted by this sudden change in the dwarven king, only to be even more confused when, in his forced retreat, be tripped over a body, only to find it was his own son, Bolg, that lie dead at his feet._

_Azog's own rage at the loss of Bolg spurred him on, attacking the still weak and bleeding Thorin with renewed intensity, forcing him back the way he came, though he did not trip over the young dwarves as he had Bolg's body, standing his ground, Fili and Kili's protection his first and only priority at the moment._

_Azog tried to force Thorin back again, only to be stopped, the dwarf king just as fierce in his defense of his position. The fought like that for a while, trading blows, but neither budging until a knife was thrown at Azog, the momentary distraction all Thorin needed, stabbing Azog through the heart, the Great White Orc's eyes widening, even as they dimmed with death, until he slumped on Thorin's blade._

_Azog the Defiler was dead._

_Thorin looked in the direction the knife had come from, only to spot Sam emerging from a pile of dead goblins and orcs, running over as Thorin fell to his knees._

_Sam reached Thorin, falling to one knee beside him, steadying him, as he reached up and touched her bloody cheek, his thumb running over it, smearing the blood, as more blood came from his own lips, his body weakening, he said," Take me to them, Sam, take me to my nephews, please, please..." Thorin's voice tapered off as his breath left his lungs, a wet rasp signaling his inhale._

_Sam could only nod, tears beginning to roll down her face as she did as he asked, tugging the heavy dwarf over to his nephews, who still yet lived, though their paling faces indicated thy were not long for this world._

_She set Thorin down near Fili and Kili's heads, his hands automatically going to their hair, stroking it as he had when they were but children, trying to bring them comfort in their last moments, because Thorin knew they were dying, knew he was dying._

_Sam set herself down in between the sprawled brothers, the battle going on around them, no one taking note of their grief, of those about to be lost to the black void that is death._

_Sam took their hands that weren't in each other's, lacing her fingers with theirs, getting a weak squeeze in response, her heart breaking to find the once sure and comforting grips so weak, her crying intensifying as it sank in that she was really about to lose the two wonderful goofballs, her precious friends who brought so much light to the world, who had made her laugh more that she could ever remember doing in her life, whose grins would soon be memories of happier times, when they were all healthy and hale and all was right with the world, a world that would never be the same for her again._

_"It's good to have you back, Uncle." Kili's voice was so weak they could barely hear it, his smile nowhere near as bright as it had once been, dulled by pain and the beckoning of the darkness. His eyes were already beginning to go dim, the way the eyes of someone like him should never be, always so full of life and light and love and laughter, should never become empty, should never be so devoid of those things that make him so special._

_"It's good to be back, Kili." Thorin's own tears were flowing down his face, his stroking of their hair never faltering, not about to stop cherishing and loving his nephews with what little time they all had left together, the way he should have been the past few weeks since they had regained Erebor, his lust for gold overshadowing his love for his family, something he should never have allowed to happen considering how well he knew the briefness of life._

_"Is Azog dead?" Fili's voice was as weak as his brother's, the once comforting warmth of it gone, replaced by a trembling, wet rasp, that chilled you to the bone, for it sounded like death itself was speaking for the golden haired prince. His face, once as joyful and luminous as Kili's, pale and marred by ugly bruises and red, red blood, dripping down his lower lip to his chin as it welled up from his destroyed chest, bleeding from him as all hope bled from any of them that the three royals would survive this battle as anything more than memories._

_"Yes, Fili, he is dead, we killed him." Thorin's mind was shattering right along with his heart, the fact that he was sitting in the middle of a battle field, watching the boys he had held in his arms, babes that only smiled up at him, boys that had ran and hugged him, young dwarves that had followed him across Middle Earth for what should have been a hopeless quest, but hadn't been in the end, the defense of it being the ultimate reason that his nephews were dying, dying because they had loved him too much to let him fight alone, though they knew it was folly, they loved him so much that they were willing to pay the ultimate price to stay beside him 'til the end, they loved him so much, he loved them so much, and his mind could not make sense of why his beautiful and wonderful and kind and loving and joyful and fun and young, much too young, nephews were dying, when they should live, when they should have their entire lives ahead of them, when they should die hundreds of years from now, after they have had the chance to live and love and have children of their own, but, now, instead of any of that having a chance to happen, they lay dying, and it broke Thorin like nothing else ever could have, because it was his fault, all his fault._

_Sam could only cry for her friends and all she was about to lose, all they were all about to lose, about all of the unnecessary loss for some stupid treasure, treasure that was not worth all of these lives, treasure that could never be worth as much as Thorin, Fili, and Kili, treasure that could buy anything in the world, could be used for anything, but to bring them back from the dead once they were gone, but to save their lives upon this battle field, but to replace that which could never be replaced, mend what could never be mended, to save these precious people from a painful, awful fate they did not deserve, everything they have ever been and done making them worthy of so much better than this, but a worth that goes unacknowledged as they lie here, dying, as Sam looks on, her world falling apart around her._

_She should have done something. She could have prevented this, why didn't she do anything? How could she have let this happen?_

_"Sam," her gaze snapped to Kili, his hand giving hers a squeeze as he spoke," I'm glad we met you that night in Bag End, I'm glad you came along with us, I'm glad that, through to this very end," Sam was mumbling 'No, Kili, please, Kili, no, don't say that, don't say that..' her sobs intensifying as he shushed her," ssh, ssh, Sam, it's ok, it's ok, don't cry for us, we have lived good lives-"_

_"Aye, we have-"_

_"No, Fili, please, not you too, please, please, please, no..."_

_It was Fili's turn to try and comfort their dear friend, their dear lass," Sam, it's alright, it's ok," he smiled a smile full of blood and pain, and the same kindness and affection it had always had, would always have, even in her memories of this awful day," like you told Bifur and Gloin, we are going home into the arms of those who we have lost and those we never got the chance to meet, and when this is over, and we have gone," now both Thorin and Sam were protesting, their voices breaking, their sobs hurting the princes, though they knew there was nothing they could do," we will never have to experience this awful pain again," he flinched as he drew breath to continue speaking, the grip of his brother's destroyed arm tightening, even as it caused Kili horrible pain to do so," we will be okay, and we will be safe and happy, and we will wait for you, for all of you, and when we are all together again we will have a grand party like the one we had at Bag End, and all will be well with the world again, Sam, so it will be alright, really it will-"_

_"So don't cry for us, either of you," Kili was looking at his uncle, his brother, and his dear friend," remember us fondly, remember all the good times, not the bad, remember us and know that all will be well in the end." Again, Kili looked at Sam, the heartbroken and utterly lost look on her face hurting him deeply," We are so lucky for having known you, Sam, for having you as a friend, one that stayed with us through all the nonsense, the danger, and the horror, we are so lucky for being part of the nutty," his smile still had the same kindness and affection his brother's had, their twin smiles forever ingrained in Sam's memories," crazy family that our Company has become, for the love and friendship we all shared before this battle, before that treasure got it's evil hooks into our family," he looked at Thorin apologetically, not meaning to throw Thorin's mistakes back in his face,"I'm sorry, Uncle, but that treasure has torn us all apart, but it doesn't matter now...in the end, as we were in the beginning, we are all together."_

_"Yes, we are nadadith, we are, for the most part," disappointed looks appearing on the dear princes' faces as they realized they would not be able to see the rest of their family before they died, would not be able to say goodbye and how much they loved them to their faces, though they did not relish the idea of watching tender souls like Ori and Bofur crumble in tears and despair as they said their last goodbyes," together in the end, and that is what really matters, that we are all reunited in love and friendship..."_

_Fili and Kili's eyes were dimming, death beginning to claim them fully, Thorin himself falling further into the void with his nephews, growing weaker by the second, while Sam could only look on and watch them all fade, her very soul darkening as their light left this world like a sun that would never rise again._

_"Sam, Uncle, we love you both so much, and we will miss you, but-"_

_"-it is time for us to go now, so give every one our love-"_

_"-and tell them goodbye for us, because we won't be able to tell them ourselves."_

_"Goodbye, Uncle Thorin, goodbye, dear Sam, we will see you again, we will see you all again..."_

_Fili and Kili's voices faded, their last words said together, their last sentences finished by each other's lips, the similarity to their introduction to Sam that night at Bag End not lost on her, the hurt and the loss and the pain blossoming in her heart anew as their tender hearts ceased to beat, the light truly left their eyes, the world dimmed, and Fili and Kili, sons of Dis, dearly loved nephews of Thorin Oakenshield, Princes Under the Mountain, lovable goofballs and pranksters of Thorin Oakenshield's Company, died, never to open their eyes and brings smiles to the faces of those who loved them ever again._

_Their hands went limp in Sam's, their faces, but for the blood and bruises, looking peaceful, their eyes closed as if in sleep._

_A heart wrenching wail went up from Sam as she doubled over, Fili and Kili's limp hands clutched to her chest as she cried, her shoulders shook, her head bowed over their joined hands, she was overcome by her grief, Thorin in a similar state._

_The wounded king was clutching his nephews' faces to his as he doubled over, the pain of his wounds forgotten as he kissed their hair, their faces, their forevermore closed eyes, mumbling prayers and 'I love yous' and 'I will miss yous' as he cried, completely broken by their loss, not paying any attention to anything else, unable to as his entire world world had just ended, because the very reasons he had set out on this quest, the very boys he had wanted better lives for, were gone, gone, gone, all because of his greed, all because of his pride, all because he couldn't see what was really important, and, now, the most important people in his life were dead, so he cried over their bodies, because there was nothing else he could do, but mourn, even though he knew he would be joining them soon, so he stayed there, slumped over Fili and Kili's bodies, unable and unwilling to do anything else but hold his boys, even as Sam looked up and saw another orc about to attack Thorin._

_Sam's crushing grief was turned into a feral rage as she suddenly flew over Thorin, her curved blades drawn, and attacked the creature that dared to threaten her downed king, the bodies of her princes._

_Sam defended the barely living Thorin, and Fili and Kili's bodies for hours, savagely attacking and killing any and all who came near, her grief fueling her even as her body began to protest the strain, only stopping when no other orcs or goblins came toward her, when no one else posed a threat._

_Sam collapsed, her tired body and soul begging for rest, rest she would not allow it as she drew herself over to the still grieving Thorin, who had gone deathly pale and was barely breathing, covered in his own blood and that of his nephew's, a rasp coming from his lungs every few seconds. Sam finally stopped right next to her friend and her king, her arms coming up to wrap around his shoulders, free to try and comfort him in his remaining moments as the Battle of the Five Armies came to an end._

_This is how the rest of the Company found them, the sight of Fili and Kili's pale, dead faces enough to bring them out of the haze they had been in._

_The sons of Fundin fell to their knees, unable to believe that the three dwarves they had known for so many years, two they had helped to raise, were dead and dying. The had been, they all had been too taken by the dragon sickness, by the rage and the bloodlust to even realize what was happening, that Thorin, Fili, and Kili were in danger, that the two boys had died._

_The Broadbeams could only stare, Bofur falling to his knees, Bifur kneeling at their feet with his head bowed, Bombur just standing there, tears streaming down all of their faces, the two boys that had loved Bifur and Bofur's toys as little ones, who always ate whatever Bombur gave them, were gone, and they shouldn't be, something in their souls told them this was all wrong, that this shouldn't have happened, but there they lay, and there was their king, dying, how had this happened?_

_The brothers Ri were in shock, Nori's daggers dropped from his hands, his eyes wide as he stared, Dori just shaking his head, tears already streaming down his face, but Ori's reaction was the worst. He was covered in blood from head to toe, his eyes wide and unblinking as he stared at his dead friends, unable to comprehend how the two bright, goofy, and kind boys he had grown up knowing were lying dead, as their uncle slipped further and further into the void. Ori did not even seem to notice the tears streaming down his face as he stood rigid as a statue, the shock of the battle and now the loss of his two dear friends too much for him to take._

_"Ori."_

_He looked at Sam, who had moved from Thorin when Dwalin had picked up the dying king to cradle him in his arms like a babe, Balin kneeling near his head, the slowly dimming eyes of Thorin Oakenshield still focused on his nephews, though they did take in the faces of his Company, the horribly tormented and sorrowful and bereft expressions on their faces, before his eyes were drawn back to his precious, precious nephews._

_Sam was holding her arms out to the shell shocked Ori, his brothers unable to provide him comfort or ground him, so great was their own grief._

_Ori shook himself awake at the sight of Sam and dove into her waiting arms, neither caring that they were covered in blood, only caring that there were arms to comfort them the way Fili and Kili would never be able to again. They cried together in each other's arms, Ori's face buried in Sam's neck._

_Oin and Gloin let out identical cries of grief at the horrible sight they beheld, their hearts breaking. Thorin was dying. Fili and Kili were dead. All the two brothers could do was hold each other and mourn for the lost and the living, because none of them would ever be the same after this, their lives would never be the same, their families, their friends. Everything was changed, and not for the better._

_Oh Mahal, what were they going to tell Gimli?_

_How could they tell him his cousins were dead, that they had died in a battle that never should have been theirs to fight? How would they console him when he realized that he had never gotten to tell them goodbye?_

_Bilbo ran up to the group, staring at the bodies of the dead princes, a horrified sound leaving his mouth, but he did not have time to grieve as Balin pulled him towards Thorin._

_Thorin and Bilbo exchanged words one last time, Thorin pulling himself from his grief to do right by the one he had wronged, to thank his friend for his actions on their journey and to commend him, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. But, sad or merry, I must leave it now. Farewell."_

_Thorin Oakenshield died on that field of the Battle of the Five Armies, surrounded by his Company, and laid next to the nephews he had so loved in life, and would continue to love in death._

_The Company stood around the bodies of their fallen royals, mourning, crying, yelling their grief at the sky._

_Sam could only watch as she held the sobbing Ori._

_How could she have let this happen? Why hadn't she done something? How was she going to live with herself for this?_

_She had loved them all so, so much and now she didn't know what to do, didn't know how to go on living without them._

_The world had become so dark, so dark now with Thorin, Fili, and Kili dead, and it would never come to light again._

/Got too Close to the Flame!/

The Company awoke to a blood curdling, heart wrenching, soul tearing scream.

/Calling out Father, Oh!/

I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. I was crying so much when I was writing this, it absolutely broke my heart. Please forgive me.


	9. Chapter 9

Ooh, the aftermath. Dun dun DUN

Standard Disclaimers Apply!

Enjoy!

/Hold Fast and We Will/

The Company launched to their feet, woken by the awful sound of a scream that would make the dead weep, weapons drawn, everyone scanning their surroundings in the darkened house for the source of the scream, only to realize it was coming from Sam.

Their lass was thrashing and flailing wildly in her bedroll as she continued to scream and sob, tears trailing down her face, eyes open, but unseeing, trapped in whatever horrible vision that now haunted her. She was so entirely lost to her nightmare that she seemed unaware of the no doubt intense pain she was inflicting on herself as she flailed her injured wrists, hitting them on the floor, knocking her injured shoulder into the beam behind her.

Oin immediately dropped his staff and hurried over to Sam, crouching next to her, trying to calm her and wake her from her nightmare, the others followed suite, almost tripping over each other to get to Sam, though they knew to stay at least an arm's distance away lest they somehow make it worse by scaring Sam with their presence or their touch.

Oin tried talking to her, touching her face, taking hold of her flailing arms and putting her hands to his own face to show he was real and standing before her, but nothing worked, so he waved Bifur over, the only one who had been able to calm her when Sam had been in a similar state before, the night they heard the orc calls.

So Bifur wrapped her in his big, strong arms, pulled her to his chest and began to sing the same Khuzdul lullaby he had sang then, stroking her hair and rocking slightly, looking at her still open eyes, a pale, disturbing blue in the moonlight, so unlike the usually shimmering green they were in the day, especially when she was laughing, hoping to see a change, a sign that she was coming back to herself, that she was waking from whatever horrible nightmare had caused this when not even the goblins or the trolls had so disturbed her.

But nothing changed.

Everyone looked on as Bifur continued to rock the still struggling Sam, though her screams had been quieted to equally as distressed keening and more intense sobbing, like she was grieving. He sang the lullaby through two times before he looked back up at them, as completely at a loss at what to do for their lass as everyone else.

The sun was beginning to rise, it's light shinning through the windows of Beorn's house, allowing them to truly see how pale and utterly heartbroken their lass looked in the aftermath of this newest nightmare, tear tracks streaking down her face, terrible loss and grief reflected in her eyes.

The Company was at a loss. They didn't know what to do to wake Sam up, without doing something drastic, to deal with her in this terrified state.

"I will make her a drought that will calm her and help her wake."

Everyone jumped, even Gandalf, at the deep voice coming from behind them, turning to find a vary hairy, very tall man with big, sharp teeth and wild eyes.

This must be Beorn.

"Oh, Beorn, I had quite forgotten how quiet you could be." Gandalf held a hand to his chest as if to calm his racing heart, but smiled at the great man all the same, despite the scare, relief in his eyes," And, yes, if you would be so kind as to make one of your calming droughts it would be most appreciated, I fear we have no known way of calming our dear companion, Sam, in this state, none of her previous nightmares have been this...violent."

The skinchanger only nodded and turned towards the roaring fireplace, that he had stoked without any of them noticing, and put a kettle on to boil, walking away to grab the supplies needed to calm his only female guest.

The Company stared after the skinchanger, in awe of his size and surprised by his overall appearance, before their attention was once again drawn towards Sam, still in Bifur's arms, now curled up tightly, clutching the front of his shirt, her face buried in his beard and neck as she continued to bawl.

Bifur continued to rock and hold her as everyone took a turn talking to her, trying to see if their voice or something they said would draw her back to the waking world. Fili, Kili, and Thorin were very confused and dismayed, the brothers' faces looking utterly dejected, when Sam only cried harder when they spoke, beginning to keen again in a way that made their hearts break, her grief, because that is the only thing that could possibly produce such a despondent sound, distressing them, but they didn't know why she was grieving in her nightmares, who she was grieving.

Thorin, Fili, and Kili, nor anyone else, knew why their voices would draw that kind of reaction from Sam when everyone else's voices had calmed her, if only slightly, the reaction saddening to Fili and Kili, distressed by the fact that their friend drew no comfort from their voices, from their words, causing them to retreat to where Gandalf stood, watching the Company fuss over Sam, whereas Thorin took to watching the skinchanger work, ostensibly making sure he slipped nothing odd into the draught for Sam, but actually as bothered by Sam's reaction to his voice as his nephews were.

Gandalf tried to comfort the royal trio, though he spoke to the princes, he knew Thorin was listening," Do not let her reaction bother you so, lads," Fili and Kili were looking up at him like kicked puppies, their eyes wide and bottom lips sticking out, forcing the old wizard to force down a chuckle," it may be that in her nightmares she fears for you, and hearing your voices only reminded her of whatever it was that caused her to fear for you in the first place."

Fili and Kili were comforted by that idea, slightly, because it meant that Sam's reaction to their voices was fueled by affection, but the idea that they were the cause of her distress still bothered them, what awful images did the darkest reaches of her mind come up with that involved Fili, Kili, and Thorin and evoked such a distraught reaction from their lass?

"But why would she fear for us? What could have caused this fear to begin with, to manifest in her nightmares?"

Gandalf gave Thorin a blank look," Thorin, not even three days ago all of you were faced with the possibility of death and torture in the goblin tunnels, were attacked by wargs and orcs, Azog among them, who threatened to kill you in particular,"Thorin cringed, realizing where this was going," and then proceeded to nearly do so when you foolishly attacked him head on, on a warg, without anyone else ready to back you up, all stuck and nearly falling from a tree as they were. You were bitten by a warg, nearly beheaded, you laid unconscious on the ground only to be protected by Bilbo, then, after we were saved by the eagles, you lay still upon the Carrock, unresponsive, until I was able to revive you. After all of that you don't see cause for her to worry for you?" Now Thorin looked truly chagrined, his nephews looking slightly aghast when they realized that had all happened in just two days, now understanding why Sam would fear for them, despite that fact they were not yet sure that this was the cause of her distress," As for why, I should hope, at this point, after all you have all been through, after the injuries she sustained trying to protect members of this Company, without thought to her own well being mind you, you would be able to see just how much she cares for all of you, how much she wants to keep you all safe, indeed, didn't what Dori, Nori, and Ori tell you about what happened on the cliffs and afterwards say as much? If you cannot see that, Thorin, then you are more blind then I thought."

Now Gandalf was annoyed with the king, but Thorin was not as blind as Gandalf thought him," You are right, Gandalf, I forgot, for a moment, that all of those things had only happened a few days ago, forgive me." Gandalf was inordinately pleased that Thorin was actually admitting fault, glad that he was finally learning a bit of humility, and he had a sneaking suspicion that Sam's outburst at Thorin, putting him in his place really, on Bilbo's behalf was what had encouraged the change, because it forced him to realize that he sometimes spoke harshly without thinking,"But, still, why would it scare her enough to cause such a horrible nightmare?"

Gandalf sighed, looking and acting his age, for once," You forget Thorin, Sam is still very young, and she has not seen the things you have seen, the things Fili, Kili, and Ori have seen, she has not lived a life where she has had to contend with such horrors as goblins and orcs and all but sure death, she has not had to kill before or deal with much death in general, she has only had to deal with these things in the amount of time she has known you all, and her lack of experience makes these happening much scarier and more traumatic for her than they are for you, because, for her, these are horrible things that she had never thought she would have to deal with, and rightly so, given her peaceful home and upbringing. So, you must understand Thorin, in those moments she was more scared than she had ever been in her entire life, and she dealt with it all remarkably well, but the fear remains, the fear of death, of loss, of not being quick enough, the next time, to catch someone when they fall, of not being able to help them, to save them, to comfort them, the fear that she will be the reason that someone dies or has to suffer, she fears that she will be the reason this quest fails, or that she will be the cause of other such unfortunate happenings. Sam has many more things to fear now than she did before, but she is brave, she is able to handle and do all of these things because she has all of you, she has all of you to teach her and guide her and support her, to give her confidence in herself and her abilities, to pick her up when she falls, to comfort her, to be there for her when things do go wrong. She depends on all of you to make her feel safe and help her stay safe, to give her companionship and friendship and a family and a home and to help her survive this quest. So she fears for you all, because she cares for you and because she needs you and she appreciates you and you have all become important people in her life, and the loss of any of you would hurt her deeply, so when she saw you lying on that Carrock, still as death, she feared for you, and for Fili and Kili, and that intense fear, as well as all of the fear she had already experienced, very well may have manifested into her nightmares."

The royals could only nod their heads in agreement with Gandalf, having not thought of everything they had done up until that point in the manner Gandalf had put it.

Thorin, Fili, and Kili, as well as everyone who was listening, which was the entire Company besides Sam, were struck by the truth in Gandalf's words, realizing they had managed to weave themselves, however unknowingly, as much into Sam's life as she had weaved herself, equally as unknowingly, for the most part, into all of theirs, again struck by just how integral they had all become to each other's lives, how much they had started acting like a family long before they realized that a family is exactly what they were becoming, how they had all taken Sam under their wings, in their own ways, and taken care of her, and Sam, in turn, endeared herself to them all by being kind and curious and funny and caring, by trying to return the favor and take care of them.

The entire Company had fallen into familial roles so easily, so naturally, that none of them had even noticed they were doing it.

Like how they had all ran to Sam's side to try and comfort her and fix whatever was wrong, just like a family would, like a family would run to one another's aide, no questions asked.

And like a family would try to take care of it's members, whether they liked it or not, just as Oin was doing now, pouring the draught that Beorn had given him down her throat while Ori held her nose to ensure she would swallow, although she really wasn't fighting them much, still ensconced in Bifur's arms and a little calmer than she had been, but definitely still in need of a calming draught that would hopefully help her wake up.

/Watch the Flames Burn Auburn on the Mountainside!/

It had been about an hour since Sam had been force fed the calming drought and now she was sitting quietly and unmoving in front of the fire, wrapped in a blanket, because Oin thought she was acting oddly like she was in shock, holding a cup of tea that Bilbo had given her, drinking it automatically, staring into space, her eyes still wide, pale, and glassy, unfocused on what was going on around her, still not quite woken from her nightmare.

The Company did not know what to do now that Sam wasn't screaming and flailing and crying, her just sitting there was more disturbing than anything else. Oin had tended to her shoulder and her wrists, as she had aggravated them in the throws of her nightmare, wrapping them and applying more salve, but was relieved to find that they were not sufficiently aggravated to impede healing. Bombur had left a plate of food in front of her, laden with the good food that Beorn had provided his guests (the dwarves' reaction to Sam's distress had quelled his dislike of dwarves, and made him a much more hospitable host than he would have otherwise been), hoping she would eat, that the smell would rouse her, but she hadn't so much as glanced at the food, further distressing the Company, because they all knew she enjoyed a good meal as much as they did, and the fact that she didn't even notice the food meant she was still lost to them, for now.

The Broadbeams, Bofur and Bombur in particular, were more distressed by Sam's lack of responsiveness than anyone else, memories of a time long ago haunting them. They remembered when Bifur had been brought back to their home from a raid of an orc den when Bofur and Bombur had been around Fili and Kili's ages (Bifur had been watching over the two since their parents had died, never quite parenting them, as he wasn't that much older than them, but still providing them guidance and support, having more of an older and younger brothers sort of dynamic) with the axe imbedded in his skull, still alive, but bleeding heavily from the head wound, and completely unresponsive. The healers had swarmed their house for days, as Bifur had been the only one badly wounded in the raid, changing his bandages, giving him medicine, trying to prevent infection from taking hold from the dirty orc blade, trying to prevent blood poisoning from the metal contaminating the wound, basically doing everything they could for Bifur.

In the end the healers had said that Bifur might never wake up from the comatose state he had fallen into, lying stiff and unmoving on his bed, and, if by some miracle he did wake up, he would never be the same dwarf again. The healers taught the brothers how to take care of Bifur, change his dressings, get food into him, give him medicine, and the like, and then they left.

Bofur and Bombur took turns watching Bifur for the next six months after that, alternating between who got night shift and day shift in the mines so neither of them would always be watching Bifur at the same time everyday, to break up the routine and give them some variety, so they wouldn't get too depressed. The two brothers did different things when they were watching their cousin to try and wake him up, to get him back.

Bofur would sing and play instruments, and carve toys and just talk to Bifur about his day, what had happened since he had left with the raiding party, anything big that happened, his opinions on things, how Bombur was doing (because he feared for his little brother, because he wasn't smiling as much, he wasn't cooking as much, he wasn't eating as much as he used to, and he just wasn't acting like their Bombur, he was more quiet than usual, his laughs weren't strong enough to make his belly jiggle, and he didn't hum while he cooked anymore), and often in the dead of night, when things always seemed bleakest, he would sit at Bifur's bedside and hold his hand in his or press it to his face, crying, begging Bifur to wake up because they loved him and they needed him and they didn't want to watch him waste away like this and life wasn't the same without him, without him to guide them, to help them, to teach them, to make them laugh, and tell them stories and just be there with them, they missed talking to him, they missed his gravelly deep voice, the songs he used to sing, watching him make toys by the fire every night, they just missed him and loved him so much. Bofur would do that all night, begging Bifur to come back to them, until morning, then he would wipe his tears away, kiss Bifur on the forehead, right next to the axe that had taken him from them, that would never change how much they loved him, and went about his day.

Bombur would talk to Bifur, in that soft, quiet way of his, telling him how they were both doing, how they were getting by, what he had cooked lately, what he was feeding him and hoping he enjoyed it, he would fix his braids just the way Bifur liked them, how Bofur was (because he worried his older brother was depressed because he was eating less and drinking more and, just not acting like their Bofur, his smile not nearly as wide, eyes as bright, laugh as merry, he wasn't carving as much, singing as much, playing with the children of Ered Luin as much as he used to), telling him about the children that were asking after him, how they were almost out of the toys he had made for them all, and that he needed to wake up soon or else there would be a lot of unhappy children around, and he knew Bifur would not stand for that. Bombur would, just like those mornings he came home to find his brother wiping his face of tears after an all night vigil, sit by Bifur's bed, his head bowed, holding his cousin's hand to his lips, praying and hoping that Bifur would wake up, believing he would because he couldn't imagine him not waking up, never talking to Bifur again, seeing him smile, hearing him laugh again, he couldn't imagine a life without Bifur, so he had to believe he would wake up because he couldn't imagine such a kind, loving, good dwarf being taken from his family in such a way, couldn't understand what they could have done to deserve such a fate, what Bifur could have done, so Bombur prayed and stayed by Bifur's side until morning, then wiped his tears, gave his cousin a kiss on the forehead, gave Bofur a hug and a forehead touch, like he always had and always would, and went to work.

One night, six months after Bifur had been injured, Bofur was sitting at Bifur's bedside, his head on the bed as he slowly drifted off to sleep, tired from a long day's work and the emotional turmoil that always overtook him on nights like that one, only to feel a hand on his head, his initial thought had been, why was Bombur home so early? And then he realized, he hadn't heard the door open or close, he hadn't heard any of Bombur's characteristic shuffling, he hadn't heard an 'I'm home' in his brother's voice, he had heard absolutely nothing to indicate Bombur was home, and he wasn't that near falling asleep to have missed all the signs, so he looked up, and suddenly life seemed so much brighter and happier than it had been a second ago.

Because there was Bifur, his hand upon Bofur's head, his eyes open, sitting up in bed, and he was awake, he was alive, Bifur was back and Bofur didn't think he had ever been as happy as he had been in that moment in his life.

But when Bofur tried to talk to Bifur, his cousin said nothing, he didn't even seem to comprehend what he was saying, their was just recognition and warmth in his eyes, but nothing else, no trace of the intelligent, sharp dwarf he had been before.

When Bombur got home that morning he was overjoyed that Bifur had woken, but he was just as dismayed as Bofur had been when he realized that the healers had been right, he wan't the same dwarf he had been.

So they went on with their lives, Bifur staying at home, staring off into space, doing nothing, saying nothing, always needing direction, looking after, and that hurt Bofur and Bombur more than anything else, because when Bifur had been comatose they could hope, hope that things would go back to the way they had been, that Bifur would be alright, that the axe in his head would not change their precious cousin, but now they were faced with a reality in which all of their hopes had been dashed, because Bifur was not the same, he was nothing like the dwarf they had known all of their lives, and it tore their hearts apart.

Bofur and Bombur had believed that they would spend the rest of their lives looking after the shell of their cousin, when, one night, a year after Bifur had been brought home with an axe in his head, on the rare occasion when they were all home at the same time and were about to have dinner together, Bifur spoke.

Bofur and Bombur had gone rigid at the sound of his voice, saying their names no less, something he had not done for a year, and the brothers slowly turned to look at their cousin, hoping against hope that something was different, that maybe, just maybe, they would get Bifur back, and what they saw when they turned around took their breath away.

Because there Bifur stood, arms outstretched, beckoning them to him, looking at them with recognition and warmth in his eyes, the two things that had always been there even when he was lost to them, accompanied by the familiar, and dearly missed, spark of intelligence and mischief and kindness and utter awareness in Bifur's eyes.

Bifur was back.

Bofur and Bombur had run into his outstretched arms, so grateful that they had him back, that Bifur was alright, that the cousin they loved so much was, for the most part, whole again.

They found, however, that Bifur had trouble speaking, finding the words to say what he wanted, because when he started thanking them for taking care of him, asking what had happened while his mind had been away, it came out in garbled Khuzdul, not the common tongue as he had intended, and without any of his, previously, characteristic eloquence, but, while this slightly bothered the brothers, they were still grateful to just have Bifur back, and he was grateful to be back.

They took Bifur to the healers' house just to be safe, the healer as surprised by Bifur's sudden coherence as they were, deciding that he had just needed time and care to heal. They later discovered that Bifur was still prone to staring off into space, which had initially scared Bofur and Bombur, because they had feared he was relapsing into his previous state of waking unresponsiveness, but he always came back to them, always regained himself, always came back with a little more of his previous self. His, at times, erratic behavior also bothered them, but the healer told them it was just a symptom of his injury, brain injuries always had odd affects on behavior, so they would just need to deal with it. Soon Bifur was able to work in the mines again, carve toys for the little ones, his cousins and what friends they had helping him to speak in Iglishmek and Khuzdul again, though he never spoke the common tongue again, something they learned to live around.

They had asked Bifur, at one point, what exactly had happened to him in the orc den, but he had only mumbled something about children and would say no more on the subject.

So they continued to live as they had always lived, for years, the three of them working in the mines, taking care of each other, enjoying their lives, for the most part, then they answered Thorin's call, and the rest was history.

But those dark memories haunted Bofur and Bombur, haunted Bifur, though more because he had seen the effect of his mental absence on his cousins and he never wanted them to have to go through that again, never wanted to have to see them like they were when he woke up again, so they were all terribly worried for Sam, worried about the state she was in as she sat by the fire, the similarity to times long past scaring them, making them keep a close eye on her as everyone began to eat the bounty on Beorn's table, not knowing what else to do, but still worried about their lass, manifested in the lack of noise that came from the eating dwarves, something distressing in and of itself.

However, despite the watchful eyes of the Broadbeams and the worry of the Company, no one saw Sam slip out the door into Beorn's enclosed yard.

Kili was the first to notice, when he had turned to see if she had eaten anything," Where did Sam go?!"

The youngest heir of Durin's exclamation had the entire Company looking around frantically, worried that Sam would hurt herself in her state, wandering around the house, calling for her, the fact that they found no trace of her only making their worry increase, until Fili ran in from the yard, telling them that Kili had found her sitting in the willow tree.

/Desolation Comes Upon the Sky!/

Kili stood a ways away from the willow tree, watching Sam, just looking at her, not moving to do anything, mostly because he was not sure what his presence would do.

She was sitting in the crook created by the lowest, largest branches and the trunk of the tree, leaning against another branch, the collar of her tunic pulled wide so that most of her shoulders and her collarbone were exposed, some bruising visible, her wrapped wrists in her lap, shoulders slumped, her feet propped up and crossed on the branch across from her. The early morning light on her face showed just how pale, drained, and wracked with grief she was, the golden highlights in her hair looking duller than they usually did as her hair fell wildly around her shoulders, caressed by the early morning wind, mirroring the movements of the hanging limbs of the willow.

But what truly stopped Kili was the look on her face.

She was truly awake now, her eyes bright and focused, showing green with flecks of gold in the early morning light, but her eyes held a soul deep sadness and grief, a profound pain that Kili did not know the origin of, but guessed it was caused by whatever she saw in her nightmare. Sam was still crying, though now the tears simply dripped down her cheeks as she blinked, her mouth set in a grim line, her brow furrowed, deep in thought, her mind a million miles away.

Sam was deeply shaken, grieved, and disturbed by what she now realized that her nightmares were, visions of things yet to come to pass, and that vision had shaken her to the core, actually watching their fates play out, watching them die, it broke her heart, and she knew if she were to actually live through that, it would break her, utterly.

Her nightmares were truly the visions that Lord Elrond had thought they were, and they were visions of the very thing she had been trying to avoid confronting from the very beginning.

The deaths of Fili, Kili, and Thorin at the Battle of the Five Armies.

Her nightmares had been warning her of the ever drawing nearer fate of the line of Durin, of the impending deaths of her dear royals, and that last nightmare had been the true warning of what their fates would be, of how they would die if nothing changed.

Sam hadn't wanted to face the fact that Thorin, Fili, and Kili were going to their deaths by going on this quest, didn't want to face that these three wonderful, precious people were going to die, because she didn't know what to do, didn't know if she should change anything, didn't know what the consequences would be if she did, didn't have any idea how she even could change anything, but her nightmares were forcing her to face what would happen if she did nothing, to see it, to watch it, to know it, and all of the horrible details, right down to how much it hurt, how much her heart ached, to know they were dying, to watch them die, and know there was nothing she could do to change it in that moment, if she allowed everything to go as it should, as it was supposed to be, and they were forcing her to make a decision.

But she already knew what her decision would be.

She HAD to do something, she had to at least try to change their fate, she had to at least try to save their lives, even at the cost of her own, because she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did nothing, she wouldn't be able to live knowing she had let them go to their deaths without trying to prevent it, to protect them, it would be tantamount to murdering them herself, and she couldn't do that, she couldn't let them die, she couldn't hurt them, she couldn't betray them like that, couldn't betray her family like that, she loved them too much, they all meant too much to her, and she couldn't watch them die again, she couldn't watch them suffer like that again, she couldn't, she just couldn't.

She couldn't watch Fili and Kili fade from the world, the light dying in their eyes just as they died, as their uncle broke again, cradling their broken bodies, she couldn't let that happen to them again, she couldn't take watching the Company fall apart again, watch them all grieve and cry, couldn't take all the grief and the loss and the sorrow and pain, she couldn't watch her world go dark that way again, she couldn't live with what she knew would happen to herself and the Company if she let them die, knowing none of them would ever be the same again, knowing nothing would ever be the same again, knowing nothing could ever hope to be the same again, if they died.

She couldn't let them die knowing pieces of the very souls of the people who loved them, of the Company, would die with Fili, Kili, and Thorin, and the rest of their lives would be marred by that grief, that it would be the reason that Balin would eventually go back to Moria, because the wrong king would be sitting on the throne and the halls of Erebor would never know the laughter of two goofy, lovable, and laughing princes, they would all live knowing that their dear king and princes hadn't deserved that fate, that they hadn't deserved to die, and they would all have to live without them for the rest of their lives, and be forever haunted by their loss and the knowledge of what might have been, but never could be.

Sam would save them, no matter the cost to herself, she would save Fili, Kili, and Thorin if it was the last thing she did, because she didn't want to live in a world where they weren't there, where Thorin wasn't being impossibly grumpy and serious and the good dwarf that he was, where Fili and Kili weren't causing mischief and laughing and smiling and making the world a better place for it, because, without them, Middle Earth would be a much darker place, and the Company would never be the same, her family would never be the same.

So she couldn't let any of that happen, because she couldn't live in that world, her family couldn't live in that world, couldn't live without three of it's members, so failure was not an option.

/Now I See Fire, Inside the Mountain!/

The Company sat outside all morning, watching Sam, having agreed with Kili that it would be best not to disturb her, not with the way she had looked when they had walked out.

Everyone was glad to see she was free of whatever horrible vision had assailed her, but it was obvious to them all it had left a mark on her mind, otherwise she would not still be crying, lost in her own thoughts, coming to terms with or dealing with whatever the nightmare had dredged up.

So they all sat outside, within sight and hearing distance of Sam, doing various different things to keep them busy, to keep them from worrying too much, and all of them had a nice long smoke before they started twiddling, making sure the actual smoke did not drift in Sam's direction, needing to calm their nerves after the drama of the morning and the stress of the last couple days.

Bofur and Bifur started to carve some pieces of wood they had found, trying to figure out how to teach Sam how to carve horses and toy soldiers left handed, Bombur was writing recipes into his little cookbook to keep him busy, as he had many to write down, that Sam had given him, still worried by the fact that Sam had not eaten since lunch the previous day, but he decided he would make sure she ate when she eventually came to talk to them.

Nori and Dwalin were sharpening their weapons, and Sam's (they had dug them out of the gear she had left on the floor before she had gone to bed the night before, and her pack, when they had been looking for things to do outside, needing more to sharpen than their own weapons to keep them busy, which was why they also ended up grabbing everybody else's weapons to sharpen as well), Dwalin taking care of her swords while Nori took care of her daggers, both sitting there working their whet stones along the edges of the blades, watching Sam as the rest of the Company was comforted by the familiar sound.

Fili stole all of Sam's throwing knives from Nori, who had been intending to take care of them himself, and started sharpening them along with all of his own, wanting to do something for their lass, make sure she knew that he and Kili cared about her and appreciated what she had done for them and the Company, trying to quell his own lingering unease and hurt from Sam's reaction to their voices earlier. Kili was trying to do the same thing by taking care of her bow, and making more arrows for them both, as their quivers were nearly empty after shooting the wargs on the cliffs, with both of their supplies of fletching feathers and arrowheads (because he knew she wouldn't approve of him using all of his supplies on her gear, and would likely fuss at the others for doing her job for her, despite the fact that she probably couldn't do it with her wrists the way they were, and Nori would have ended up dealing with Sam's weapons for her anyway), making shafts from wood Bifur and Bofur had found that was ill suited for carving, but good for arrows. The brothers were both watching Sam out of the corners of their eyes, noting how she really hadn't moved since Kili had found her there, and the fact that she was still crying, but her face was slowly taking on that determined look they had become so familiar with, which eased their worries slightly, as it meant that Sam was ok if she was getting annoyed enough about something to take on that expression.

Ori sat next to Dori as he sketched Sam sitting in the tree, because, with the wind and the sun and the expression on her face at the moment, it really was an amazing picture, heartbreaking and sorrowful, but amazing all the same, and he thought she might like this particular picture, as poignant as it was, but he wasn't exactly sure of how Sam would take all of his other sketches of her doing various things, such as cooking, training, telling stories, and goofing around, knowing she really didn't care for being watched too closely. Dori was watching his littlest brother sketch out of the corner of one eye as he kept an eye on Sam out of the corner of the other as he focused on fixing the rips and tears in the clothes of the Company, currently working on a rather large tear in one of Nori's shirts, as he had already finished fixing the tiny rip in Sam's cloak and a split seam in one pair of Bofur's trousers.

Oin and Gloin were looking around the lush garden for more medicinal, and cooking, herbs, talking to each other with Iglishmek, as they hadn't quite figured out how to fix Oin's ear trumpet, and he couldn't hold it while gathering herbs anyway. They talked about all the things that had happened in the past few days, how things were changing, and what they thought had been wrong with Sam that morning. Oin thought she had actually been in shock that morning, but Gloin wasn't so sure, as he had never heard of a nightmare causing someone to go into shock, so they discussed all of these things as they worked, adding to the Company's supplies of different kinds of herbs, both still watching their lass as she sat in the tree, deciding she was alright, for now, but Oin was going to be giving her another once over later.

/I See Fire, Burning the Trees!/

Gandalf, Beorn, Thorin, Balin, and Bilbo were standing a short distance away from the rest of the Company, discussing their plans.

"So you wish to get to the Lonely Mountain by the last day of Autumn? You are running out of time."

Beorn's statement was met by nods from the two dwarves and wizard, Bilbo just listening. Thorin and Balin were shifting their gazes between each other and Beorn, talking in low Khuzdul, trying to determine just how much time they had and what they might need to actually get to the mountain in time for Durin's Day, and what they thought Beorn would be willing to provide.

"We know, my friend, and that is why we were hoping you would be willing to lend us some of your horses to get us to Mirkwood, and possibly some more food."

Gandalf's statement was met by a frown from Beorn," Mirkwood is afflicted by a darkness that makes it more dangerous than it once was, and the elves that dwell there are not as wise as their kin, and they are far more dangerous." The great bear of a man sighed at them all, noting how Thorin had stiffened at the mention of the elves of Mirkwood, no doubt still angry at Thranduil for abandoning his people, the hobbit looked confused by the king's behavior while Balin and Gandalf looked uneasy," You are right to ask for horses, without them you would likely die at the hands of the orcs that haunt these lands, for their numbers are increasing, the orcs of Moria are amassing at Dol Guldur. I will provide you with horses and ponies, and additional supplies, but once you get to the border of Mirkwood you must set my steeds loose, I will not allow any animal of mine to go into that awful place."

The dwarves, hobbit, and wizard all seemed content with the aide he had offered, surprised though they were that he had given it so easily, Balin and Thorin looking pleased that they would be able to increase their speed, if only for a little while, and replenish their supplies.

But Beorn was curious, and had questions he wanted answered," So, who is the wee woman? She is not a dwarf, and yet she travels with you. I have never known dwarves to welcome people of other races, and yet there are two in this party, why?"

Bilbo and Gandalf were more than willing to answer, Balin slightly suspicious, but willing to give the skinchanger the benefit of a doubt due to his generosity, while Thorin was not," Why either of them is here and who she is is none of your concern."

The other three rolled their eyes at the king's characteristic rudeness, hoping his mouth wouldn't cause them any trouble.

Beorn's eyes narrowed," I would say it is my concern, because the only reason I decided to give aide was because of the way you all reacted to the wee woman's distress this morning, such care is uncharacteristic of dwarves to show towards ones who are not of their race or their kin, and that aide I offered can be just as easily taken away as it was given, if you prove unworthy of it. I will not allow you to drag innocent souls to the danger that awaits you on this quest if you are simply using them."

Thorin looked a combination of chagrined, annoyed, and angry, because, while he could understand why Beorn might think ill of them, as it was true that most dwarves wouldn't help anyone by their kin and fellow dwarves, and be surprised by their reaction to Sam's nightmare, but he did not, as a rule, like being threatened for any reason, nor did he appreciate the insinuation that they would just use Sam and Bilbo, then toss them aside, or abandon them to face any danger alone.

Bilbo answered before Thorin got the chance,"They are not using either of us, Master Beorn. We are both willing members of this Company, even knowing the dangers of this quest as we do, and I can personally attest that none of these dwarves would ever intentionally do either of us harm or leave us in harms way, we are all friends, as odd as that must seem to you, I'm sure, sometimes even I cannot quite believe I am friends with thirteen dwarves and human, as crazy and ill mannered as they all are," Thorin and Balin just rolled their eyes at the cheeky grin the hobbit was giving them, Thorin's anger and Balin's apprehension easing slightly at Bilbo's defense of them, at the honesty of his words and his sureness of their friendships, but relieved that he was not alluding to just how attached they all were to each other at this point, because neither dwarf completely trusted Beorn and did not think he had any right to know any intimate details about the Company. Beorn simply observed their reactions to the hobbit's statement, even more bemused by their behavior than he had previously been, because it appeared that what the hobbit was saying was true, he looked at Gandalf for some clarification, but the old wizard simply smiled at him, as if reading his mind, his smile seeming to indicate all that he observed was true," but it is the truth all the same. As for Sam, she is a charming young woman that has managed to earn the respect and friendship of the Company, regardless of the fact that she is human, and their care for her, as you saw this morning, is born of their friendship."

Beorn simply nodded at Bilbo's answer, seeming to be simultaneously pleased and confused by the truth of it, thought Bilbo had left out bits of information, such as Sam not being completely human, because he felt that the big man did not need to know that, and neither did Thorin and Balin if their nods in his direction were any indication.

"Hm, I see. Well, in that case, my offer still stands. Tomorrow you will leave at first light, but, right now, I think you best go and check on your wee woman."

Gandalf, Bilbo, Thorin, and Balin turned around just in time to see Sam slide down out of the willow tree, heading towards the rest of the Company.

/And I See Fire, Hallowing Souls!/

The Company smiled, relived, as Sam approached them, no longer crying, though her eyes were red and puffy, but she was smiling at them, albeit tiredly, and that was a good sign.

Bifur and Bofur put down the toys they had carved, Bombur put away his cookbook, Dori put down his sewing, Ori stopped sketching, Oin and Gloin had already returned from their herb finding mission and were sitting on the porch, while Nori, Dwalin, Fili, and Kili stopped fiddling with the Company's weapons, and those who had been speaking to Beorn walked back over.

Sam plopped down in the grass in front of them all, a large sigh escaping her as she settled herself, waiting for the impending slew of questions she knew was coming.

The Company studied their lass for a moment, taking in how tired and grieved she still looked, how her shoulders were slumped, not just from pain, and how she looked very determined, but also very scared.

Bofur was the first to speak, as most of the others didn't seem to know what to say after the events of that morning, or they were still watching, studying her, trying to discern if anything was still wrong or if she remembered her nightmare this time," Ya gave us a righ' awful scare this mornin', lass."

Bofur was looking at Sam with a worried frown on his face, his eyes searching hers, not liking the way she was looking at the moment, but all his frown did was remind Sam of the way Bofur had looked in her nightmare, taken by the dragon sickness, and she did not like seeing it on his face for any reason, not just because of the nightmare, but also because a frown just did not belong on Bofur's face, as it was expressly made for smiling.

So Sam tried to assuage his worries, all of their worries, and get rid of that awful frown, the worried frowns on all of their faces, if not for the benefit of the Company, then for her piece of mind, the memories of her vision haunting her even as she tried to convince the Company otherwise," I know I did, I scared myself, and I'm sorry for scaring you all and making you worry, and waking you up when we are all in desperate need of some decent sleep, but I'm ok now, really."

All of them were looking at her dubiously at that statement, not believing her for a minute, but Fili, Kili, and Thorin looked a little more put out than the others, and she couldn't help but wonder why.

The three royals were glad to see that Sam did not have any visible reaction to their presence now that she was awake, but they were still a bit afraid that she might recoil from them when they spoke, but were willing to take that chance to make sure she was alright.

Oin sighed," No, Sam, you're not alright. You were beside yourself this morning, Bifur couldn't calm you, none of us could figure out how to calm you, nothing worked, it took Beorn making you a calming drought to get you to stop screaming and crying, and then you were in shock, completely non-responsive for an hour, just staring off into space, that's how you ended up in front of the fire before you slipped out." He gave her an annoyed look, softened by his concern for her mental and physical state, but Sam just shrugged at him, a small, guilty smile on her face, she had needed to get away from them all to think, to deal with everything the nightmare had told her and made her feel," Not to mention your odd reaction to Fili, Kili, and Thorin's voices, when you heard the rest of us talking, you seemed to calm down, but when they spoke, you only started crying harder."

Sam's eyes had gone wide at hearing how she had reacted to their voices, hoping she hadn't said anything, Kili's expression made her think she had.

Kili looked at Sam, a worried and slightly apprehensive expression on his face, daring to ask the question that he had been wanting to ask since Sam had regained herself, all because Gandalf had pointed out all of the reasons that she had to worry about the Company, about Thorin, Fili, and Kili in particular," Sam...," Kili bit his lip, not really sure if he should ask his question, as it was rather personal, and she might not feel comfortable answering it, but now that he had her attention focused on him, her eyes curious and more than a little worried, as if she didn't want them to know what her nightmare had been about, he asked," were you dreaming about us? About something bad happening to us? 'Cause..."

Here Fili picked up where his brother had trailed off," Gandalf had suggested," he nodded at the wizard as Sam looked between the two brothers, more than a little confused and apprehensive," that a reason you might have reacted to our voices the way you did was because you were dreaming about something bad happening to us, so...were you?" The two younger royals were now being glared at by the older members of the Company, Ori just face palmed at his friends lack of tact, for asking such a personal question, and asking Sam to deal with something she might not be ready to deal with yet, so Fili attempted damage control," Not that you have to answer, or tell us anything you don't want to, we were just worried...," the elder dwarves seemed appeased by the back track, though Oin and Dori were still eyeing them.

Now Kili picked up where his brother left off, a somewhat remorseful expression on his face," You know you don't need to worry about us too much, right? I know we all got quite a scare in the goblin tunnels, and on the cliffs with the orcs and wargs and being stuck in a tree, and everything, but everyone is alright, we are all ok, so you don't need to worry about us too much, after all, we are all adults, for the most part," they all chuckled at that, Fili, Kili, and Ori turning slightly red because they were still not quite considered adults, something they couldn't deny or defend, as much as they wanted to, all tired of being treated like children, at times, on this quest, even as Kili admitted it," and we can take care of ourselves. I know you and Bilbo sometimes doubt that," here everyone chuckled, Sam smiling, relieved that they didn't know anything about what she had dreamed, but had a slight idea, which she could work with, as Bilbo just smiled cheekily nodding in agreement of Kili's description of their perception of the dwarves, earning him a shoulder bonk from Thorin that nearly knocked him over, earning the king a glare while he attempted to look innocent, the Company only chuckling more at their antics, Sam could only smile a little wider, her eyes regaining some of their mischievous sparkle," but we can do it, and have been doing it for a long time, so you don't need to worry about us, ok? 'Cause we are all gonna take care of each other and make sure we all survive this, alright?"

All of the dwarves nodded emphatically at the statement, a chorus of 'of course we wills' and a 'damn straight' from Dwalin and other affirmatives were said as Kili smiled at Sam, attempting to be comforting, but his lingering distress at her earlier reaction to their voices made him look more pleading than comforting, though Sam returned the smile all the same.

Sam was relieved, to say the least, that they just thought she was terribly worried about their dear royals, about them all, which was entirely true, but her heart had clenched painfully at the tandem way the two brother's had spoken, so much like the way they had spoken their last words in her vision, she already couldn't forget her fear for them, her sorrow, and her grief, and how she needed to protect them, the reminder of just who they would all lose if she did not succeed only making her resolve stronger, not just to protect Fili, Kili, and Thorin, but the rest of the Company too, because she had no idea how her actions would change things, so she would need to keep an eye on them all, but them knowing she was worried, even if they didn't know the reason, might help to keep them all safe, by making them more cautious.

So Sam had to admit to them, both because she couldn't feasibly deny it considering her reaction in her nonsensical state to their voices, but also because of how it might alter their reckless behavior, that she had in fact dreamed of the royals, but she would omit any other details, so she smiled softly at Thorin, Fili, and Kili, and began," I know you can all take care of yourselves, Kili, really, I do, considering you have all been doing so since before I was even born," Gandalf had reminded them of just how young she was earlier, but that statement just served to remind them and bring back the feelings they had when she first told them her age, making them more inclined to be protective of her, as much as they had initially been, despite the fact that they all knew by now that she was capable of doing it herself," notwithstanding certain instances of stupidity," she looked at Thorin with an annoyed expression, the king looking a little guilty," such as certain dwarves running at a certain very dangerous orcs without backup," Thorin really looked guilty now, the other dwarves very amused by how the reprimand of a young human woman managed to get him to look that way when only his sister, and occasionally Balin, had managed it previously, "but I really do know that you can all take care of yourselves, most of the time." They all just shrugged, more than willing to admit they were all prone to doing stupid things, at times, especially when they were more than a little drunk," But that doesn't mean I don't worry, that I won't continue to worry about you lot, especially considering what all we are gonna need to face before this is all over, so, I'm gonna keep worrying about you lot, if not because of what we still need to face, then because I am entirely to attached to you lot to do otherwise." She gave them all a slightly watery smile, meaning every word of it.

The dwarves were all smiling now, both because of her statement and because they were glad that their lass was ok, if how she was acting was any indication, as blunt and caring as usual, convinced, for now, that she was alright and that her nightmare had not done her any lasting damage, despite her reaction to it.

"But," at that all of their smiles instantly dulled, somewhat afraid of what she might say, her face having taken on a more pensive and world weary expression," I did dream of you three," she looked at the three royals a bit forlornly, Kili and Fili looking more worried and a little guilty at the statement, while Thorin only looked at her with searching eyes, trying to find the best way to assuage her fears so that this would not happen again, because in the coming days they could not afford to be so distracted by Sam's distress, as it might cost them their lives, but also because he worried for what repeated trauma, like what her nightmares seemed to have caused her, would do to Sam, mentally, physically, and emotionally, whether it would affect her ability to protect herself and the others from harm, affect her ability to aide them in their ultimate goal, and affect whether or not she would be able to deal with what they would need to face, not wanting to sacrifice her emotional and physical health any more than was absolutely necessary for the sake of the quest, more than willing to leave her behind, if it came to that, until things were safer if it meant she would remain whole, if it meant she would remain as she was now, so that their lass could remain intact, in all ways, so that she may live out the rest of her days in Erebor, happily," but all I can remember is being afraid for you, a terrifying and all consuming fear, nothing else, not why, not how, not when, not where, just the feeling of overwhelming terror, and that's it."

Everyone could only nod, believing Sam, considering how her nightmares had been like from the beginning, though Nori had a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that she might be hiding something, reading her body language and the look in her eyes, but he really couldn't blame her for wanting to spare them details if she remembered more than that, not when she had reacted so horribly to it herself.

Kili and Fili's shoulders slumped in relief that her reaction to their voices had indeed been fear for them, rather than of them, or worse, smiling more easily now that their own fears were assuaged, but they both still felt the need to make it up to Sam somehow, wanting to make sure she did not suffer so much again on their, and Thorin's, accounts. Thorin simply continued looking at Sam, having much the same feeling Nori had, but dismissing it for the same reason, something telling him it was best to leave it alone.

Sam smiled brightly now, glad that all of the nightmare talk was out of the way," Now lets all stop moping about and do or talk about something more pleasant," it was then she noticed that Fili, Kili, Nori, and Dwalin were surrounded by the Company's weapons, hers included, all of their weapon maintenance supplies around them," or maybe someone can tell me why those four," she pointed a finger at the four weapon surrounded dwarves, a raised eyebrow accompanying the amused and slightly annoyed expression that had come across her face at noticing they were taking care of her weapons for her, her quiver now full of freshly made arrows," are hoarding all of the weapons? And, Dori, why do you have a clothes collection next to you? I know that's my cloak and that's Ori's shirt," she pointed at the items, noting a large tear in one of Nori's shirts was now mended, as well as all of the other garments coming from members of the Company, some mended, while others were not," but what in the world are you doing with Bofur's pants?"

That had the Company laughing, the way Sam had asked and her expression, a fake slightly confused expression completely ruined by the way her mouth kept pulling up in a grin, all to familiar mischief in her eyes, making the statement sound even odder than it already had, Dori going red as he realized what could be implied, and Sam had meant to imply, though they all knew it meant nothing and that Dori was just being helpful, with his having Bofur's pants, Bofur only roaring with laughter as he fell over flat on Beorn's porch, rolling a little from side to side, at Dori's expense as the oldest Ri brother threw the offending pants at Bofur's face, effectively shutting him up as they got in his mouth, causing him to sputter and everyone else to laugh harder.

Nori, Dwalin, Fili, and Kili, thought their laughter, began to hand the weapons they had amassed to their respective owners, putting Sam's in a pile next to them with all of her other supplies, not willing to allow her to carry them all inside herself with her shoulder and wrists still injured.

Thorin only smiled and shook his head, closing his eyes, knowing all was well with their lass and the Company, turning to go back into the house as Balin could only look on, amused at the antics of the Company, until he got one of his own shirts thrown at his face, Bilbo, standing next to him, getting a wait coat draped over his head, as Dori began to throw all of the clothes he had fixed at their owners, starting a bit of a clothes fight as everyone began throwing the clothes at each other, Sam just hiding, and giggling uncontrollably, under her cloak after it had landed on her head, using it like a tent, avoiding the majority of the hubbub as she dodged through the garment onslaught to get to the porch from where she had been sitting one the grass, moving to stand next to Bombur and Bifur, who were getting up after having wrestled their clothes back from Bofur, who had been planning on using them as ammunition against Fili and Kili, the dynamic duo having managed to hit everyone at least once at this point, without having been hit themselves.

As the clothes war continued, Bofur giving a battle cry as he chased after Fili and Kili, armed with one of Gloin's shirts and Dwalin's pants, Sam stood next to Bombur and Bifur, watching them for a moment, before her stomach growled, prompting Bombur to remember she had not eaten for almost an entire day, as it was almost lunch time, thus he took her by the upper arm, as he did not want to aggravate her already aggravated wrists further, telling her he was going to make sure she ate enough to feed two dwarves, as she still needed to gain back weight and who knew when they would next get the chance to eat fresh milk and honey and bread again, gently tugging her inside, ignoring her protests and blush at being, as she called it, force fed by dwarves when she was perfectly capable of feeding herself, thank you, Bifur only chuckling at their antics, aiding his cousin in getting Sam inside, also fully intending to ensure she got enough to eat, gently nudging her back to keep her moving forward.

Bifur went on tiptoe to talk next to Sam's ear and said, using a few sounds from the secret language they had made before Rivendell,' You scare us badly, lullaby didn't work, but glad ok, need our lass to help us get to Erebor, so let us take care of you, yes? Like you take care of us.' Sam stopped struggling to get away from the two Broadbeams at that, nodding at Bifur's words, said dwarf giving a pleased grunt, hugging her and lightly tapping his forehead to hers, very careful of his axe, when they actually got to Beorn's giant table, Bombur bustling around, getting Sam a heaping plate of food.

So the rest of the day went, Bombur trying to feed Sam until she burst, when Fili, Kili, and Ori rescued her and they went and explored Beorn's property together, all rather fascinated by the larger than normal bees and the oddly intelligent animals.

That night, after Bombur tried to stuff her again at dinner, they all went to sleep, hoping, praying, that Sam wouldn't have another awful nightmare.

/I See Fire, Blood in the Breeze!/

Well there were go, next time, Mirkwood.


	10. Chapter 10

Standard Disclaimers apply!

Enjoy!

/And I Hope that You'll Remember Me/

_The world had become so dark, so dark now with Thorin, Fili, and Kili dead, and it would never come to light again._

/And if the Night is Burning I Will Cover My Eyes/

Sam jolted awake, having lived through the same nightmare again, her heart breaking again, only to find herself in the arms of one of those she had just lost, just watched die again.

She was in Kili's arms, held tight to his chest, rocking slightly, one hand stroking her hair, murmuring to her, trying to comfort and calm her, because she could feel all the tears on her face, realizing she had been sobbing in her sleep again.

Kili sounded almost as distressed as Sam felt, his words urgent and hushed, obviously worried by her having another nightmare, especially if it was as dramatic as it was the other morning, but she didn't think it had been, as Sam still heard the snoring of the other dwarves, the only other dwarf she saw awake was Bofur, who was hovering nearby, looking just as worried as Kili sounded, wringing his hands together, a frown on his face, though it turned to a gentle, relieved smile as his eyes met hers.

"Goo' mornin', lass, are ya' alrigh'?" Bofur was whispering, as everyone else was, indeed, still asleep.

At hearing Bofur's question, Kili pulled back from Sam slightly, his chin having been resting on the top of her head, looking down at her through his messy hair, a smile spreading across his face as they made eye contact," Hello sleepyhead." His eyes showed how relieved he was that she was awake, despite his lighthearted version of good morning.

Sam couldn't help the small smile that spread across her face at Kili calling her that, she was always so glad for his light hearted soul when she woke up from her nightmares, even if his morning silliness was usually done primarily to ease her mind, and sometimes his.

Sam sat up slightly in Kili's arms, not pulling away just yet, because the comfort of his arms after that nightmare was all too welcome, especially since it meant he was safe and alive, not dead on a battlefield, but she did stop leaning the majority of her weight on him as she finally answered Bofur, after taking a moment to take stock of herself, deciding that her obvious reaction this morning to the same nightmare had not been nearly as bad or dramatic as yesterday, because it looked like the duo, who should really still be asleep, had managed to wake her up without any kind of draught, Kili imitating Bifur's tactic having done the trick, "Good morning to you too, Bof'. And I'm fine." Both dwarves gave her a look that told her they didn't believe her," Really, I am...or as fine as I ever am after a nightmare, which, I should hope, is quite a bit better than yesterday."

Kili and Bofur both grimaced, nodding in agreement, immeasurably glad that she hadn't had the same reaction as the previous morning, neither wanting to go through that harrowing experience again, the scare and worry of Sam's state having put everyone on edge for the entire morning yesterday.

Sam gently pulled away from Kili and sat up completely, feeling better for having talked to Bofur and Kili, the prince sat back on his haunches, both hands coming to rest on his thighs after he gave her elbow a light squeeze as one last bit of physical comfort before he drew away completely, as Sam began wiping the tears from her face, stretching her arms and yawning, causing both of the dwarves to chuckle, the normality of the actions easing their remaining tension.

"So, what are you two doing up so early? We aren't gonna leave for a few hours yet," she was changing the subject, and they all knew it, Kili and Bofur letting her because they knew Sam did not remember anything and did not want to talk about it, and, honestly, after yesterday, they aren't sure they want to know, as their lass glanced out the window, finding she was right, as the sky was still dark, with only traces of the slowly rising sun on the horizon, ," and we all need to get some decent sleep." She paused for a second, a disgruntled look coming over her face as she looked at them," I woke you up, didn't I?"

Kili and Bofur nodded their heads in tandem, drawing a groan from Sam, both of the merry dwarves needing to stifle their laughter as Sam face palmed, annoyed that she had woken them, again.

"I'm sorry." She then looked around the room, noting how Bilbo was cuddled into a little ball in the hay, while everyone else lay sprawled on their bedrolls in various positions, Ori had his head on Nori and feet on Dori, Fili had curled into Thorin in Kili's absence, Dwalin was spread eagle next to Balin, snoring as loudly as Oin and Gloin, who were back to back, Bombur lying with his hands on his belly next to a messy haired lump that had to be Bifur, Sam left wondering how in the world they were all still asleep," So, how did I wake you two up anyway? I must not have been very loud, or else everyone else would already be up."

"You kicked me in tha' hea', bu' no 'arm done, lass, I've go' a thick skull. T'was my own faul' anyway, sleepin' so close ta' tha' fee' o' someone I know is prone ta' thrashin' in 'er sleep." Bofur rapped himself on the forehead with his knuckles a few times to make his point, Sam smiling apologetically as she reached out her hand and patted his head in apology, which only made him smile more, Bofur's teeth showing in a wide, bright smile as both of his dimples made an appearance.

Kili laughed into his hand at the sight of Sam patting Bofur on the head, finding it a little funnier than he would have otherwise, because it was entirely too early for this nonsense, although they were an odd and funny lot at any time of the day, mornings, however, were the most entertaining because of stuff like this, shenanigans born of sleepy and barely awake brains.

Stifling his laughter enough to speak, Kili told Sam," You kicked me in the gut, but I don't know how you did it, I made sure, unlike some people," he gave a cheeky grin to Bofur, who only stuck out his tongue, making Sam giggle, a sound that told the two dwarves she was already over her nightmare, or at least sufficiently distracted, for now, though they had no intention of bringing up the nightmare again, as they wanted Sam to be as relaxed and at ease as possible, after all, they would be traveling a couple hundred miles by horse and pony today and being too tense when riding was hell on your muscles, and your mood," that I was sleeping far enough away from you not to get hit, but close enough to hear you. But, I'm fine, it wasn't hard enough to bruise, just to surprise."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kili. I bet that happened when I was shuffling around in my sleep." Sam had face palmed again, making the dwarves laugh some more as they gently pulled her up and they all began to pick their way through their comrades over to the large table," Yeesh, I should come with a warning label."

Now that had the two snorting, the idea of Sam needing a warning label too much for them, both trying to quiet their laughter with their hands pressed to their mouths as they hopped onto the bench of the table. Sam sat on the corner of the bench next to Kili with a mischievous grin plastered on her face, still glad, after months of knowing them, that they still appreciated her sense of humor enough to laugh, Bofur sitting on the corner of the adjacent bench, Sam between the two.

"So, my lads, what are we gonna do until everyone else wakes up?"

Bofur and Kili looked at each other, then back at Sam, and shrugged.

Sam just rolled her eyes, earning an elbow nudge from Kili, Sam grinned at him when he stuck his tongue out at her, Bofur just shaking his head at the two.

"Wha' woul' you suggest, Sam?"

Sam, looked up and tapped her chin for a moment, pursing her lips, and then snapped her fingers," Why don't we make a good breakfast for the Company? We can see if we can find Beorn and ask him if he has any sausages and stuff so we can make something hearty, after all, this will be the last chance we'll have to eat a decent breakfast for a while."

Bofur was nodding at the smiling Sam, who was very happy with her dea, liking the idea of a good, hearty breakfast before a long journey very much, knowing his brother and Bilbo would both appreciate the break from cooking, and having a meal cooked for them, for once, while Kili looked a little disgruntled, giving Sam a slight pout, which she personally thought was an adorable expression on Kili, but she was willing to bet he would not really care for being called adorable, for any reason, even if she was the one calling him that," But I don't really know how to cook anything."

Bofur smiled indulgently at the prince, whose pout became a slightly annoyed expression at the patronizing look, Sam just rolling her eyes, knowing that Bofur was doing it on purpose to bug the prince," Don' worry abou' i', Kili, Sam an' I both know 'ow ta' cook well enough fo' tha' three o' us, you'll jus' hav' ta' 'elp by choppin' stuff an' such."

Kili rolled his eyes at Bofur, making to snatch his hat, and missing as the older dwarf just leaned out of his reach, chuckling and sticking his tongue out at Kili again, before sighing and nodding his head," Alright, what do we do first?"

So the trio of early birds found Beorn in a different part of the house, pleased to find he did, indeed, have sausages and ham and eggs, giving them free reign of his kitchen and meat locker on the condition they make enough for him to have a hearty breakfast too, the skinchanger unable to remember the last time someone had cooked for him, Sam promising him a delicious breakfast for his hospitality as she patted his arm, which was just about three times the length of her own.

Beorn thought he was beginning to understand why the dwarves were so fond of the wee woman, she was kind to and unintimidated by those who were different from her, and her friendly manner was relaxing, making one feel at home, the normally rather unsympathetic and stern bear man allowing himself to be softer for her sake, partially because he had a foreboding feeling that she was going to be in dire need of his help before long.

So Sam, Bofur, and Kili set about making a hearty breakfast, Sam making a peppery sausage gravy, Bofur making biscuits from scratch as he directed Kili in how to properly chop and dice potatoes, onions, and peppers for a kind of hash, requiring him to abandon his dough a few times to reposition Kili's hands so he wouldn't cut himself and so he didn't cut the veggies into too different sizes for them all to cook at the same rate.

As Sam tended to the large pot of gravy and equally large pan of scrambled eggs, with a few set aside to make fried eggs, should anybody want them, Bofur popped the quadruple batch of biscuits into the Beorn's huge oven with the five large loaves of bread the skinchanger had put in to bake as well, as Kili dumped his potato, onion and pepper mix into the pan they had been cooking bacon in, the veggies sizzling as they hit the bacon fat, the ham, bacon, and cooked sausage links sitting in another pan to keep warm as everything else finished cooking, Kili sitting by to watch his potatoes, his hand and Bofur's getting whacked by Sam when they both attempted to eat some of the meat before everything was done.

Sam might be scary when she was fighting with her curved swords, but she was even scarier when she brandished a wooden spoon like a weapon, her resemblance to an annoyed Dis all too apparent for either of them to try to steal some meat again.

Sam had just taken a kettle for tea off the fire when the first of the Company began to wake up, Bifur, Bombur, Bilbo, and Fili with there noses in the air, sniffing at the delectable smells of fresh bread and cooking meat, their eyes lighting up when they saw the feast that Sam, Bofur, Kili, and Beorn were putting on the table.

Fili, almost literally, jumped up and quickly came over to the table, taking a seat next to his brother and Sam, clapping them both on the back, hungrily eyeing all of the food as he accepted a mug of tea from Sam. Bifur, Bombur, and Bilbo were much slower in their approach, but were obviously just as pleased with the spread as Fili was, the hobbit rubbing his hands together as he sat next to the grinning Bofur, Bombur licking his lips as he did the same, Bifur giving his cousin a pat on the back as he nodded to the other chefs, including Beorn.

The rest of the Company followed soon after, woken by the sounds of wooden plates clacking on the table, Gloin, Dwalin, and Nori cheering at the sight of the meal that had been prepared, while Thorin, Balin, Ori, Oin, and Dori simply walked quickly to the table and took their seats, everyone either accepting mugs of tea or milk from Sam and Beorn.

When everyone was at the table, they dug in.

The dwarves, Sam, Bilbo, Gandalf, and Beorn greatly enjoyed their breakfast, Beorn especially.

After Thorin had showed Beorn how to make a gravy covered tower of food, the dwarves as loud as usual in their eating habits, throwing food around the table, seeing who could make the tallest and most complicated stack of deliciousness and then scarf it all down, stuffing themselves with the last good meal they would have for a while, with many conversations were under way around the table, when the skinchanger was abruptly reminded of how it had felt to have friends and family together in his home once more, realizing exactly how lonely his existence had become that he would enjoy the company of an odd, rag tag group of travelers made up of dwarves, a human, a hobbit, and a wizard.

Beorn realized he would miss them when they left, though they had only been there one full day, and that realization saddened and surprised him at the same time, though he brightened when he realized that, when they reclaimed the mountain, he could go and visit them, knowing that they would show him hospitality in return for that he had shown them, as that was the dwarven way.

After all the food had been eaten, everyone stuffed, and the dishes were washed, they packed up all of their gear and headed out to the pasture to get the ponies and horses, loading up easily, though their packs were heavier with the large quantities of non-perishable food stuffs that Beorn had provided them with.

Kili ended up riding behind Sam on the back of a horse, his head resting on her non-injured shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her middle, which, he decided, was still too thin and he didn't like that she was still too thin, to keep from falling off, as they only had so many ponies and those ponies could only hold so much weight, some of the dwarves were able to double up, like Ori and Nori, their packs included, with no harm done to their mount, where as Dwalin and Bombur needed their own ponies, Fili ending up with his own pony as they had to add Bombur's pack and some of Dwalin's supplies to his pony to keep the other two's steads from being over burdened, ending up with Dori and Bifur sharing a pony, Balin sharing with Thorin, and Bofur riding with Gloin, while Oin got his own pony with some of the other's things attached.

So, just after the sun had come above the horizon, the Company set off for Mirkwood, Beorn watching them as they went, wishing them the best of luck, and safety.

/For if the Dark Returns, then My Brothers Will Die!/

It took the Company two days to get to Mirkwood, their steads going at a steady gallop the entire way, all of them feeling it at night, their legs and bums sore, Kili, though, had fallen asleep on Sam a few times, her humming and the movement of the horse lulling him to sleep, ending with him having a very stiff neck, the rest of the Company laughing at him for his mistake as Sam could only smile at his sheepish expression, having no problem with the younger prince using her as a pillow.

Gandalf left them at the Elven Gate to the Elven Road, Sam carefully covering up the mark the wizard had found on the statue near the entrance, not wanting her dwarves to notice it, for no good could come of the Company worrying about the orcs at Dol Guldur now.

Bilbo did not seem to feel the need to tell Gandalf about his find in the goblin tunnels, but he also didn't seem to be being influenced by the Ring either, Sam watching him to see if he repeatedly put his hand in his waist coat pocket, finding he didn't, only patting down all of his pockets to make sure he had everything he needed and had not forgot something.

The pendant that Lord Elrond had provided for Bilbo was working, thank God.

So, as Gandalf rode away, the Company entered Mirkwood.

/And as the Sky is Falling Down/

Mirkwood was a dark and depressing place, the atmosphere seeming to absorb all light, and happiness, leaving the Company morose and irritable.

They wandered through the forest for three weeks, sticking to the Elven Road, wary of Gandalf's warning to not stray from it, but, as the days went by, and their supplies dwindled, their minds began to grow fuzzy, Sam and Bilbo less affected for some reason, possibly the magic of their pendants protecting them, but they all grew disoriented, and more tired by the day, as they spent their nights watching the eyes that glowed in the dark, far from the edge of the road, but always watching.

Sam was more affected by the forest than Bilbo, as the fact that she was having the same awful nightmare, watching Fili, Kili, and Thorin die every night, was taking it's toll, the lack of sleep and constant grief and fear dampening her mood more as the darkness of the forest augmented the negative emotions, but that did not keep her from trying to protect the Company, mostly from themselves.

Then came the day that the ever more irritable, grumpy, and unsure Thorin ordered Bilbo to climb into the trees and look above the canopy to try and determine where they were, for they had lost the road, despite their best efforts to stay on it. Dori heaved Bilbo up high enough that he could get to the lowest branch and their hobbit began to climb, Sam looking up as her friend disappeared, looking around at the dwarves, listening to their grumbling.

None of the dwarves had been their usual selves the last few weeks. Fili and Kili were very irritable, Sam couldn't quite believe they were arguing with and avoiding each other, the normally sweet duo she knew and held so dear nowhere in sight, though they were both still relatively kind to Sam and Bilbo, just not each other, and were grumpier to the rest of the Company as well.

Nori and Dwalin were going at it like they hadn't since the very beginning of the quest, yelling at each other and almost coming to blows a few times, resulting in Sam's healing shoulder getting wrenched when she intervened, she had hissed in pain, dropping her pack (because Oin had said it would be alright for her to carry it after the first two weeks, although, his judgment of her shoulder being well enough to handle it was probably more dubious than it should have been, the atmosphere of the forest having made Oin less coherent and able to judge the wellness of Sam's injuries), that moment they both stopped their fighting was the first since the first week in the forest that Sam had seen any trace of the two dwarves she had grown to know so well, Dwalin insisting he take her pack for the rest of the day and Nori, with a very guilty expression, suddenly remembering how she had gotten injured in the first place, walking near her for the rest of the day, catching her when she stumbled, although both became more irritable as that day had gone on, they both kept insisting on helping her, which made Sam feel better, as it meant her friends were still in there, somewhere.

Thorin was being a downright asshole like he hadn't been since before the trolls, his nephews' change in attitude not helping the matter, as their silliness had alway helped him relax, but with them both acting so angry, his own natural hot headedness and irritability only got worse, yelling at the Company at least once a day since the fist week, Balin attempting to calm him, but the old dwarf had become more sarcastic and scathing with his words, only resulting in the two old friends having yelling matches with each other, though Sam and Bilbo whacking them both upside the head and talking the two down seemed to do the trick the majority of the time, sometimes, however, Dwalin and the princes had to step in and separate the two.

Ori and Dori were fighting, Nori, for once doing damage control, his brother's arguing with each other drawing him out of his stupor, the ferocity behind their arguing something he had never wanted to see between his older and younger brothers, and that spectacle had thrown almost everyone for a loop, but less so than Bofur and Bombur arguing with each other, Bifur trying to play referee only resulting in him getting frustrated and almost getting into a fight with Bofur, at that point all of the younger members of the Company got involved, those put in a haze by the darkness waking temporarily, because the sight of the two toymakers fighting was just...wrong, on so many levels, that it had awoken them all from their haze, the utterly distressed looks on the youngsters' faces bringing all three Broadbeams back to them, if only temporarily, the three apologizing to each other and to Fili, Kili, Ori, and Sam, realizing that watching them fight had unsettled the quartet, and themselves, none of the Broadbeams able to remember that last time they had actually argued, let alone gotten into a fight, if they ever had.

Oin and Gloin were fighting with each other as well, though their arguing was very similar to what they did anyway, except the fact that they were smacking each other harder and more often than usual, but Sam bringing up Gimli and Midala (Gloin's wife) always seemed to calm the two instantly, though they were still very cross with each other, for unknown reasons.

The Company was not acting like themselves most of the time, but the distress of their family members and friends seemed to draw them back to the light when they were needed.

It was while disrupting an argument between Nori and Dori, the most normal one so far, that the spiders attacked, Bilbo still up in the canopy.

They had been surrounded and hadn't even realized it, the first spider dropping on Thorin before the other arachnids descended on the rest of the Company, either pinning them on their backs or stomachs, all of them still to disoriented to fight back much, unable to reach their weapons before they were injected with venom, Sam tried to yell at Bilbo, to warn him, but she was pounced on by one of the larger spiders, pinned on her stomach, her still bound wrists trapped beneath her, unable to reach her daggers or knives before she felt the stinger of the spider pierce her right thigh, the sting of the venom coursing through her veins, then, her world went dark.

/It Crashed into this Lonely Town!/

Bilbo awakened in the web sac, unsure of where he was or what had happened, until he heard the clicking and hissing, memories of being ambushed by a spider once he had tried to come down from the canopy coming back to him, making him panic, making him worry for the Company, because he now realized the reason they hadn't replied to his calls was because they had been attacked by spiders, and he hoped, he prayed that he hadn't awoken too late to do something about it, hoping they were nearby and still safely in their own sacs rather than already eaten, he shivered at that thought, but he didn't have time to contemplate it further.

There was a spider above him and he had his sword in his hand, so he stabbed it in the thorax, through his web sack, completely surprising the giant spider, and the creature screeched, screeched and struggled and then went still, pulling Bilbo off the branch he had been laying on onto a lower one, causing the hobbit to groan in pain as his back made contact with the branch, but he immediately started ripping through the webs, hearing more spiders approaching.

As soon as Bilbo was free of the sac, he drew his sword again and crept toward the trunk of the tree, took a deep breath, and put his ring on.

The world became pale and wispy around the edges, and Bilbo felt his protective elven pendent became instantly warm. He had noticed in the goblin tunnels that when the ring had landed on his finger when he fell while being chased by the creature, Gollum, it had also instantly become warm, and the pendant had only gotten warmer until it was hot against his skin, which had been about the time he took it off on the cliffs, at which point it had become instantly cool. He had figured the magic of the pendant was protecting him from any bad magic from the ring, but he was not sure how bad the magic had to be for the pendant to react that way.

At the moment, however, it didn't matter, as the ring would now allow him to sneak around the spiders and find his friends, and he could understand what they were saying now too, a little disturbing, but helpful, as it allowed him to figure out that they were about to feast on the other sacs, which he could see were all moving, realizing those sacs were the Company, so he threw a branch he found at his feet into the woods to his left, the spiders running towards the noise.

But one of the spiders stayed behind, knowing that it's fellows would deal with whatever threat there was, and was about to suck the blood from one of his friends, Gloin, he thought, based on the shape. So, gathering all of his courage, Bilbo attacked the spider, killing it quickly, even as it asked what was attacking it, though he did decide to call his blade Sting after the spider complained of it's slices stinging.

Bilbo then proceeded to cut down all of the hanging sacs that contained his friends, mumbling apologies as he went, grimacing in sympathy as they all hit the forest floor below them. Bilbo hoped he had not caused any of them to gain more injuries, or made existing injuries worse, thinking of Sam and Thorin, the impact probably doing nothing for their lass's shoulder or wrists and Thorin's still badly bruised ribs.

Bilbo was attacked from behind by another spider, after answering the call of his friends, who had touched him and decided to attack the still unseeable presence, forcing him to jump on top of it before they fell to the forest floor, where Bilbo promptly killed the creature, and he narrowly avoided being attacked again by an old spider that came out of it's burrow to eat from the corpse of the dead spider.

Bilbo's pendant was warming up more now, but he had a feeling he would need to wear the ring for a considerable amount of time, and was not sure if it would end up burning him, but it was a risk he was willing to take if it meant saving the Company, the dwarves and human he had become so attached too, the family he had missed having ever since his parents had died, more important than that.

He would help the Company in any way he could, even if it meant coming to harm himself.

/And with that Shadow upon the Ground/

Sam jolted awake, the air rushing from her lungs as she landed on something soft that squirmed, she got her breath back only for it to be forced from her lungs again as something landed on her, the pain in her shoulder and wrists worsening from the pressure.

Then she heard voices, voices she knew well, and then she remembered the Company and the spiders, the white in front of her eyes and her inability to move suddenly making sense, she was in a web sac, she needed to get out, before the spiders ate her.

Sam started to struggle then, a bit of panic setting in as a result of how disoriented, sick feeling, and pained she was, beginning to frantically rip through the sac, kicking her legs as whoever was on top of and below her moved, managing to get her arms and legs loose before other hands began to aide hers, ripping the webs away from her face only to reveal Dori, who smiled down at her in relief as she calmed at the sight of a familiar face, briefly, before he pulled her up off the floor and onto her feet, where she swayed unsteadily, not moving as Dori, still covered in a large amount of webbing himself, moved on to helping others of the Company out of their own respective sacs, her head beginning to spin, her stomach rolling.

Sam's vision went in and out of focus as she looked around at her dwarves, able to notice that, though they were moving more slowly and clumsily than usual, they were not nearly as bad off as she was, the spider venom obviously affecting her more than any of them, likely because of how skinny she had become, the fact that she was human, and she was injured, her body less able to fight off the the affects of the venom and filter it from her system than the hardier and heavier dwarves, some of whom were watching her with concern, her swaying becoming more pronounced, even as they scanned the area for more spiders.

She almost fell backwards, her balance completely shot in the state she was in, before two sets of hands took hold of her, she looked up to see the worried gazes of Fili and Kili as they kept Sam on her feet, noting how her eyes were unfocused and she looked paler than she should, even as she smiled, relived to see them both alright, though they both looked rather sickly themselves and were covered in all sorts of gunk, making them look rather more like vagabonds than princes, then Sam felt one of each of their arms go around her back as they put her arms over their shoulders, intending to help her walk, the fact that she couldn't stand on her own making it obvious she would need help, despite the fact that they were shorter than her making it awkward.

"Where's Bilbo?!"

Bofur's exclamation had the brothers and Sam looking around frantically, seeing a very pale Ori being held up by a more coherent Nori, Dori and Gloin hauling up Bombur as Dwalin and Thorin looked around, standing in front of the pile of now open webs acs, which Bofur was searching through, looking for their burglar, Balin and Oin leaning on each other for support, the two older dwarves more affected by the venom than the younger ones, though not nearly as bad as Sam, if the aide she obviously needed from Fili and Kili was any indication, causing both of the elder dwarves to look at each other in worry, knowing Sam may be in quite a bit of danger from the venom, her body not as able to cope with it as effectively as their bodies could.

"I'm up here!"

Bilbo had yelled from somewhere up in the trees, none of them able to see him, their momentary relief at his safety turning to horror as they heard him yell, a crashing sound reaching their ears that they all hoped was not their hobbit, and then they were set upon by spiders, now needing to focus on their own safety and that of those in close proximity.

Dwalin took out his axes as the rest of those who were able began to draw their own weapons, Nori drawing his daggers as Gloin readied his axe and Thorin took out Orcrist, Fili and Kili tightening their hold on Sam as they all began to run away from the spider's nest, her feet slipping more often than not, but the young dwarves more than able to carry her weight, their running in perfect sync, as always. The Company managed to kill some spiders as they went, but mostly they just ran, trying to find a better place to fight, or hide.

They ran until they were stopped in their tracks by some spiders dropping from the trees, only for an elf, sliding along on the limbs of the tall trees of Mirkwood, to slay them, coming to a stop in front of the defensive Thorin, his sword raised.

"Do not think I won't kill you dwarf."

Legolas was a very stern looking elf, his hair pulled back in a tight braid and the frown on his face giving him a severe appearance, only looking more serious with his dark clothes and drawn bow, glaring down his nose at Thorin.

He was decidedly displeased by the presence of the Company in his father's kingdom, not being at all fond of dwarves, though not holding the level of contempt his father did, just untrusting of them in general, not almost outright hatred, making him very suspicious of a what a group of dwarves was doing in Mirkwood, but the glint in his eye told Sam, at least, even as disoriented as she still was, for all of the others were glaring just as angrily at the elven princeling as said princeling was glaring at them, unable to see anything but the distrust in his eyes, matching it with their own, their mutual distaste for each other also making itself known to the elf and dwarves, the dwarves' good will towards the elves of Rivendell not extending to their forest dwelling kin, that Legolas was also curious as to the reason for their presence, the curiosity not seeming to be tainted by an overwhelming sense of ill will, just wondering why in the world they would venture into a forest of elves when they knew they would not be welcome.

Legolas' gaze softened as he took in two of the younger dwarves, looking better than their elders as their youth prevented them from being as direly affected by the venom, easing the companion they had been helping to run from the spiders off their shoulders and into a standing position, whom, he realized with a jolt, both of worry and honest surprise, was a human woman, who looked far worse off than any of the dwarves, pale and trembling slightly, holding herself gingerly, as if injured.

His curiosity about the odd group only piqued as he saw all of the dwarves giving the human worried glances, seemingly tempted to huddle around her to protect her from the elves, but knowing that might only get one of them shot with an arrow, as she looked around at the elves now surrounding the group, her eyes decidedly unfocused and definitely disoriented, making Legolas very tempted to go check on her, but not allowing himself to do so, as it would not do for him to appear too worried about the companion of intruders, dwarves no less, despite her obvious distress and the fact that she had not done anything to deserve their ire, in fact, were she not with the dwarves, she would have already been taken to the healers of their kingdom, but he knew that would not be allowed by his father, her apparent association with the dwarves enough to damn her in Thranduil's eyes.

The duo who had aided her both put a hand to her back to keep her from falling over, even as she tried to stand up straight, only managing to stand hunched and swaying slightly. Why would dwarves, notorious as they were for their contempt of other races, have a human woman with them? And why did they seem to care for her? Everything he had ever been told about dwarves, tainted though it was by his father's distaste for them, telling him that this was not possible, or, at the very least, incredibly unlikely, but their expressions indicated otherwise, that these dwarves did, indeed, care for this human. Now he really wanted to know more about this odd lot and why they had entered the forest.

The human seemed to be trying to remember something as Tauriel landed near Legolas, a pensive, but still utterly disoriented expression on her face, the confusion echoed on the fire-maned she elf's face when she saw who her prince was looking at as they conversed, talking of the spiders, but their mutual curiosity about the human did nothing to quell their distrust of the dwarves.

"Search them."

One elf came to stand in front and in back of every dwarf and the human, relieving them of their weapons, Fili's elf seemingly counting how many knives they found on his person, the elder prince seemingly insulted that they managed to find all of them so easily, even the ones hidden in the collar of his coat.

The dwarves could do nothing as two male elves stood with Sam between them, their obviously not well lass looking up at them, the expression on her face telling those who knew her she was trying to remember something, but they didn't know what, or why she was trying to remember it now.

The two elves just scowled down at her, as if they thought her daft for having that expression on her face, relieving her of her weapons, but seeming to do so more harshly than was necessary, ripping her sword sheathes from her hips, her daggers from her boots, and her knives from on her person, but they yanked her quiver and bow from her back, managing to smack her in the face with the wood and pull her hair with the strap, not seeming to care at all that they were causing her further harm and exacerbating her disorientation with their actions.

/I Hear My People Screaming Out!/

Authast was disgusted by the human, her expression, one of utter confusion and a lack of understanding, cementing his belief that she was a stupid creature, for what other kind would travel with dwarves, and that she was too dumb to understand what was going on, that she was being searched and would soon become a prisoner of their king, all because she was daft enough to become involved with the vile creatures that were dwarves, their awful, greedy, and selfish natures probably having rubbed off on her, making her unworthy of their sympathy or their help. Her appearance, dressed masculinely and looking unkempt in general, her hair a wild mess, regardless of the fact that she was covered in spider webs, only served to disgust him further, for who else but a companion of dwarves would see such an appearance, let alone that of a woman, as acceptable?

So Authast roughly relieved the dumb woman of her weapons as Asgaranwar helped from his position behind her, pulling her bow from her back, both of them smiling cruelly as it smacked her in the face, served her right for associating with dwarves, also keeping the human from falling over, as funny as that would have been, their Captain and Prince would not have been happy about it if they had allowed the obviously injured human to injure herself further, regardless of the fact that she did not deserve either of their sympathy, but their leaders were known for being soft hearted, so they had to abide by their ridiculous beliefs, at least when they were within earshot or sight, both of the haughty elves hoping they would be assigned as her guards so they could show (punish) the worthless human for the error of her ways.

While Authast was searching the still confused woman, he discovered a pendant, but not just any pendant, an elf friend pendant. It was strands of mithril folded in the shape of a star with a sapphire in the middle, runes on the strands declaring the wearer an elf friend named Lethril.

Asgaranwar did not understand why his friend was suddenly staring at something the human was wearing, holding it in his hand, only for his face to become one of murderous rage as he ripped it from around the woman's neck, covering her mouth with his hand so no one would hear the pained sound she made. Asgaranwar pressed a dagger, surreptitiously, to the woman's side as she started to reach for whatever it was that had so angered Authast; she got the message, instantly freezing, her eyes going wide. He smirked, eyes glinting cruelly, maybe she wasn't as dumb as she seemed.

Asgaranwar then looked up at Authast, whose gaze was flicking between their prisoner and whatever he had in his hand, looking more murderous by the second, obviously tempted to assault the woman, but Asgaranwar got his attention before he could do that, as the prince and the captain would not condone the abuse of prisoners, and they both knew it, so he whispered in Sindarin,' What is the matter, Authast? What was this woman wearing that has angered you so?'

Authast shoved the pendant in his face, Asgaranwar's eyes going wide at the sight of the pendant as Authast hissed at him, quietly, in Sindarin,' This human, these dwarves, have done harm to an elf friend and stolen their pendant!' The cruel hatred in Authast's eyes was mirrored in Asgaranwar's,' They should be punished!' His eyes narrowed with heartless glee,' And we will see that they are.'

Asgaranwar started to nod his head, but stopped, a worried expression coming over his face,' But, Authast, shouldn't we show this to Prince Legolas and Captain Tauriel? Surely they would be able to tell whether it has been stolen or not?'

Authast, a slightly exasperated expression on his face, irritated with Asgaranwar's respect for the authority of the prince and captain, something he felt they didn't deserve, looked from side to side, making sure that all of the other elves in the vicinity were preoccupied with their dwarven prisoners, as he leaned in towards Asgaranwar conspiratorially,' The dwarves and the human, for all their stupidity, may very well come up with a plausible enough story that our soft hearted prince and captain,' he rolled his eyes, as Asgaranwar chuckled darkly, knowing that Authast was eternally frustrated and angered by the weaknesses of their two leaders,' might actually believe them, and the prince will likely be able to convince our king of the same with the captain's help.' Here Authast shook his head, exasperated, mumbling,' I understand he loves his son, but I do not understand why he lets that fool influence his decisions, at times. Anyway, I do not believe we should inform them of the situation, to keep them from being deceived of course,' here the two elves, so corrupted by the darkness that had afflicted their home that they did not realize just how cruel, disrespectful, and just plain evil they were acting, smiling at the blatant lie of Authast's statement, the truth being that neither of them trusted Legolas or Tauriel to deal with the situation 'correctly,' regardless of Asgaranwar's regard for their authority, as dubiously as that was given to begin with, thus they were taking it into their own hands,' so we shall deal with the situation, but I think', Authast's smile was a cold and cruel thing,' we should focus on the human, here,' he tightened his grip on Sam's mouth, making sure that none of the dwarves or other elves noticed, taking pleasure from the fear and apprehension in her eyes,' because I think the dwarves might provide too much resistance, and will be better able to fight back than this poor, weakened human,' they both looked down at the now alarmed looking woman, her eyes widening further at their malicious smiles,' besides, it will hurt the dwarves more to know their weakest link is being harmed for their folly than another dwarf, for they would probably take it as a challenge, but this little thing, she will likely only cower in fear, which will make our revenge so much sweeter.'

The two corrupted elves only chuckled darkly as their victim became more visibly frightened of them as they continued to search her.

Authast and Asgaranwar, however, became even more cruel in their actions and attitudes as Legolas confronted Thorin over Orcrist, suddenly identifying the dwarf as Thorin Oakenshield, remembering what the king had looked like when he was younger, and still a prince, the two elves whole heartedly agreeing with their prince, for once, that the dwarf was a liar and a thief, the accusation only making them feel more justified in their harshness towards the human, and the revenge they planned to take for the harm they believed the Company had done to an elf friend, and for stealing from elves, or worse, the grave of a great elf.

/And I See Fire! Inside the Mountain!/

The Company, other than Sam and Thorin, were taken directly to the dungeons of the city of the elves of Mirkwood, their hands unbound from behind their backs as they were shoved into their cells, all of them trying to get to Sam and Thorin, but unable.

Bilbo, still invisible, took note of the locations of his friends cells before he continued to follow Sam and Thorin.

Bilbo had watched the two elves searching Sam take her pendant, horrified at how roughly they had treated her, how they had laughed maliciously at her fear and smiled in a way that Bilbo had thought only foul beings like orcs and goblins could, but he was unable to do anything about it, for he knew revealing his presence to the elves might cause more harm than good, so he kept his ring on, his own pendant growing warmer by the moment, knowing he would need to keep it on for the foreseeable future if he was to free his friends from the clutches of these unkind elves, so unlike those they had befriended in Rivendell.

So he followed the elves and his friends, watching and listening.

/I See Fire! Burning the Trees!/

Sam and Thorin were brought before King Thranduil, their hands bound behind their backs, wrenching Sam's already injured shoulder and adding more bruises to the healing ones already on her wrists. They were being pushed forward by their respective guards, Thorin noting how pale and sickly Sam looked, instantly concerned, trying to watch her as best he could from the corner of his eye, realizing that the venom from the spiders, combined with her existing injuries and how skinny she was as a result of their quest, would wreak havoc on their lass, accounting for how she was stumbling more than normal, her eyes unfocused, pupils blown, sweating beading on her brow, and her shallow breathing, but what really alarmed Thorin was how she already seemed to be afraid of her two guards.

The two tall elves, the auburn haired one taller than the red head, both acting more menacing toward Sam, it seemed to Thorin, than his own two guards (Legolas and Tauriel) were being to him, something that confused him greatly, as the elves, he had thought, would be more inclined to show her kindness than any of the dwarves because she was human, a woman, and was obviously injured, but that was apparently not the case.

Thorin was also concerned because, unless Sam was given medical aide, her condition might worsen, especially if she was left alone to rot in a cell the way Thorin thought they all would be, something worrying in and of itself, Thorin, nor any member of the Company, was willing to see her come to more harm than she already had and was worried about what it would mean for her health for the rest of the quest, for he was not willing to sacrifice it more than was necessary, thoughts that echoed those he had had at Beorn's, as he had hoped she would be able to help them all get out of here, banking on her ability to work the same magic on these elves, as unkind in comparison though they were, as she had on the Rivendell elves, but he was beginning to doubt that would happen, her disorientation rendering her all but unable to follow what was going on, let alone charm Thranduil into letting them go.

Thorin was comforted, slightly, however, when Sam gave him a slight smile, apparently not as disoriented as he had initially thought, as she seemed to have sensed his worry, Thorin not having realized that it was written plainly on his face and in his eyes for all to see, making Legolas and Tauriel more curious, neither understanding why the dwarf would be so worried about the woman, nor why he seemed to relax at her smile, as if comforted by it, even as it made Authast (the short red head) and Asgaranwar (the taller auburn haired one) more confident in their choice of focusing on the human, their idea that it would do the dwarves more harm to know she suffered confirmed.

Sam herself was terrified and completely aware of how disoriented she was, barely able to remember the details of most of their trek toward the elven city, her focus having been on her feet and Balin's head in front of her, trying not to focus too much on the two elves behind her, their malicious smiles and the cruelty in their eyes while they had been searching her having chilled Sam to the bone, something telling her that those two were going to do her harm, and enjoy it, which was the reason she was not going to try to convince any of the elves that the two had stolen her pendant, because she feared what they would do in retaliation, either to her or her dwarves, but she tried to stay strong for Thorin, and the others, despite her fear and how awful she felt, their faces worried when they had all gotten a clear look at her as they had been shoved in their cells, Oin had cursed and struggled against the elves, while everyone else had only been able to look on, not knowing what to do, all very worried by her sickly appearance on account of the spider venom, most ignoring the fact that they did not look so well themselves, but Sam didn't want them all worrying about her, they needed to worry about finding a way out of this place, about staying strong and not giving up, even when it seemed hopeless.

Sam knew Bilbo would eventually get them all out, but he needed help to do it, inspiration and support from his friends, who she knew he was very worried about and was willing to bet Bilbo was watching them now, and worrying about her was not going to get any of them out any quicker, and she needed to be strong for Thorin, right now, because she didn't want him to think he needed to give in to Thranduil for her sake, to protect her from the elven king, because both she and Thorin knew he would be more inclined to treat her harshly for her association with her precious dwarves, or to get her the anti-venom, because Sam knew they would give it to her anyway, as they would want to question her and they couldn't do that if she was incoherent.

They all, Sam, Thorin, Legolas, Authast, and Asgaranwar, came to stand in front of Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, the king looking at them all cooly, disdain clear on his features as he looked at Thorin, but he seemed as surprised as his son had been at Sam's presence, though he quickly schooled his features to conceal and attempted to quell his alarm at the appearance of the human, the healer in him demanding that she be taken care of swiftly, but the king in him wanting more information before he did anything to help or harm Thorin Oakenshield and his companions, injured though this human one may be, but he would ensure they were all given doses of the anti-venom for the spider's poison, as he was not a cruel elf, and the venom would make their days very painful indeed as it worked it's way out of their system, besides, he wanted information, and he needed them able to talk for that, not writhing in pain.

He surveyed his two prisoners, all of these things in mind, knowing why they in particular had been brought before him rather than other members of their group.

Sam had been brought before him because she was a human among dwarves and they assumed she would be the weakest link in their group, either because she was a woman and the dwarves wanted to keep her from harm or because she was less loyal to the dwarves and their quest, little did they know just how loyal they all were to each other, none willing to betray each other, though the Company in the dungeons was already beginning to worry for their lass, not just because of how ill she looked, but also because they had seen the cruelty in the eyes of the two elves who had searched her, and how they had treated her while in the elven city, none of them trusting the two elves not to do her harm, a feeling Thorin was beginning to share in as he looked at the two elves holding Sam more closely.

The two elves had kept her at the back of their group as they were marched through the forest, pulling her roughly back every time she had stumbled, none of the Company able to comfort her and provide support or keep an eye on Sam from in front of her, Balin's hair having gone on end when he had heard their evil sounding chuckles, the dark feeling he had gotten from the two elves showing in the unease on his face, something all but Thorin had picked up on, because he had been looking at his nephews, when they had all gotten decent looks at each other before being imprisoned, but Thorin was now getting the same feeling as Balin had, his scrutiny of the elves revealing their poorly concealed maliciousness, though the other elves seemed blind to it, those two elves were influenced by the same evil afflicting the forest, and that had made them more cruel.

Thranduil took note of how Thorin was watching him and the human both, intrigued by his apparent concern for her, but the king could only scowl at Thorin, knowing him and his line as he did.

Thorin had been brought before Thranduil because he was obviously the leader of the dwarves that had entered his kingdom, and because of who he was. Thranduil had no love for the line of Durin, having been slighted and disrespected by Thror, in their personal dealings, in treaties, and when Thranduil had warned him of what his treasure trove would bring, warning him that a dragon would surely come, but he did not listen, and the fate the befell Erebor was all Thror's doing, no one else's, Smaug had come and decimated Dale and Erebor, laying waste to the lands around the Lonely Mountain, but Thranduil had not been willing to risk the lives of his people to fight the dragon, and Thranduil did not regret that decision.

He felt himself grow angry at the hubris and greed of the line of Durin, at the way he had been treated, at the loss of life and destruction caused by the grandfather of the dwarf that stood before him, at the way they had scorned him for his decision to protect his people, the way Thror should have done for his own, but what angered him the most was the knowledge of what the fool of a dwarf that was Thorin Oakenshield was planning to do, to awaken the dragon for the sake of the gold, to reclaim Erebor, to bring hell fire and horrible deaths upon all in the vicinity of the mountain, including his people as well as the innocents of the town of Dale.

Thorin Oakenshield was going to make the same foolish decision that his grandfather had made, with the same disastrous results, and Thranduil could not abide by that.

Thranduil, however, wanted more information, wanted verbal confirmation from Thorin of his plan, and any details that might not be readily discernible, because, for all of their faults, the line of Durin was not known for being stupid, in fact they were known to be quite clever and excellent strategists, but they were also know to be very foolish and proud.

The cleverness of the line of Durin was what concerned Thranduil now, as it was entirely possible that this was some kind of a ruse to distract the elven king from another force of dwarves, or another small group, going to the mountain to achieve the same goal, or that Thorin had some kind of contingency plan that would still cause the dragon to be awakened, so he decided he would offer the dwarven king aide in return for the jewels that he did truly want that were buried in the dragon's hoard, the jewels that, if they did somehow get to the mountain and kill the dragon, he would demand as recompense for their trespassing and any damage caused, but the point of offering aide was to see if Thorin would reveal his plans and any details, such as how they planned to get in the mountain, and any other who would be foolish enough to help him towards his ridiculous goal, Thranduil wanted to know all of this because he did not plan on allowing Thorin to accomplish his goal, ever, but he needed all of the information he could get to circumvent the foolishness of the dwarves, and, should they not talk, they would be imprisoned in his dungeons until they did so or they died, after all, he did not care about the dwarves, their greed, hubris, and selfishness making them unworthy of his sympathy or kindness.

So Thranduil offered Thorin his aide in return for the jewels, Legolas, Tauriel, and the other two guards momentarily confused before they realized what their king was doing, none of them at all surprised when Thorin vehemently and angrily rejected his offer of aide, calling the king's bluff, his rage causing him to go into Khuzdul as he insulted the elven king.

Thranduil scowled, his fair face contorting into an ugly visage, ordering his son and the captain, in Sindarin,' Take the filthy dwarf to the dungeons, in one of the lower levels, away from the rest of his companions. Perhaps some solitude will teach him manners and to show respect to his betters.'

Legolas and Tauriel began to take Thorin away, but the dwarf fought against them, realizing what he had just done and how his actions and words might have just doomed Sam to ill treatment and rough interrogation, not knowing what Thranduil had said and where he was being taken or where Sam would be taken increasing his efforts to get to her, to do something to protect her from Thranduil's wrath, the wrath that he had invoked, his worry easy to see for all in the room, unwilling to leave Sam behind when he did not know what would happen to the odd human woman of his Company, his friend, and member of his family, the family that the Company had become to him, his worry for her equal to what it would be for his own nephews in the same situation, all of them too young and inexperienced in the cruelty of the world to be left at someone such as Thranduil's mercy, Sam even more so because she would be suffering because of him, because the Company was made up of dwarves, for wrongs not her own, she would be targeted by the cruel king as an easily coerced, Thranduil wrongly assumed, Thorin knew, source of information.

Thranduil only looked at the dwarf struggling to get to the side of his companion, the human woman looking like she was torn between wanting him to stop struggling and go peacefully and wanting him to stay, his presence apparently comforting to her, because she was obviously afraid, and somewhat confused, though that was the doing of the spider venom.

Thorin saw how scared she was and renewed his efforts to get to her, but, in the end, six elves were needed to remove him from the throne room, still struggling to get to the woman, who stood, unsteadily, in front of Thranduil, her eyes following Thorin until he was out of sight, then coming to rest, wide and feverish, terrified, on Thranduil.

The elven king's demeanor was much calmer now, considering the human before him, his eyes running over her.

Sam was not sure whether to be more afraid or calmed by his change in attitude, his eyes not seeming to hold the same amount of contempt and rage when they looked at her as when he had looked at Thorin.

Thranduil walked up to her, seeming to have come to a decision, his hand going to her chin, gently lifting it so her face was looking at his, his gaze seemed to soften more, but Sam was sure she was just imagining it, not believing that the elven king would be at all kind to her, both because she was part of Thorin's Company, and because she was an intruder the same as any of the others.

Thranduil finally spoke, in Sindarin, Sam having absolutely no clue what he was saying,' Take her into the dungeons as well, another cell far away from the other dwarves and Oakenshield. I will be down later to administer anti-venom to her personally, then, in a few days, after she has had a little time to recover, we will begin interrogating her. Hopefully she will not be as foolish as the dwarves and will be more forthcoming with information.'

Thranduil smirked as he turned away from the human, unsurprised when she did not struggle as Thorin had, sure that he would have all of the information he wanted in a few days time, for the human could not be very loyal to the dwarves, so she should be easily persuaded to tell him everything she knew.

Thranduil, with his back turned, completely missed the evil smirks on Authast and Asgaranwar's faces.

/I See Fire! Hollowing Souls!/

Alrighty, I hope you all enjoyed that, cause it took me a bit to figure out how I wanted all of that to go.

Authast means war dust in Sindarin, while Asgarangar means violent awe, so the two corrupted elves have sort of evil names.

Next time we will get to see what it's like in the elven dungeons.


	11. Chapter 11

Ok, peoples, this one will have mentions of torture, cruel treatment, and mental/emotional anguish, so you are fairly warned.

Standard Disclaimers apply.

/And I See Fire! Blood in the Breeze!/

Sam had been alone in her cell for two weeks, and those two weeks were taking their toll.

She had been having the same nightmare every night since Beorn's, watching her friends die every night, going through the anguish and the pain and the loss every night, only to wake up alone, scared, grieving, and worried, the inability to check on the Durins, or any of her dwarves for that matter, only exacerbating her fears and worries, making her jumpy, nervous, and in a constant state of fight or flight, her body and mind exhausted by constantly being on high alert, a state brought on by her nightmares, none of the awful feelings ever soothed, left to linger and fester until they made her fear constantly for the well being of her dwarves, her mind conjuring up horrible visions of what might be being done to them every day she was separated from them, tortured by Thranduil for information, for just living, all because the only thing that had ever made her able to cope with her nightmares and all of the things that came with them had been her friends, her family, and they were no where near her in the depths of Thranduil's kingdom, the darkness closing in without anyone or anything to drive it away.

All Sam was being given on a daily basis was water, she had been given food the first night of her imprisonment, Thranduil bringing it along with the anti-venom for the spiders, as it was apparently unwise to take without food, and she had felt marginally better for a time, until Sam had discovered that food scraps would be given to her only every few days, not nearly enough to sustain her, but enough to keep her alive.

The mental and emotional torture brought on by her own mind was augmented by her constant hunger for food and contact, as she hated being alone and hated being in a cage even more, all of it adding to her mental and physical stress, but that was not all that Sam was being put through in the depths of Mirkwood.

The two elves that had searched her in the forest the day they had all been caught were assigned to guard Sam's cell, give her food and water, and to bring her back and forth from her almost daily interrogation sessions with Thranduil.

Sam had not said a word to the elven king, not even telling him her name, just listening to him talk and ask questions, not reacting to anything he said, greatly angering Thranduil, as he could not understand why she was so loyal to the dwarves, why she would not say or do anything, why she cared enough for them to remain imprisoned when some simple speech would set her free, but she would remain imprisoned, as long as was necessary to get her to talk, no matter what Legolas suggested they do otherwise.

The Prince was slightly disturbed by the detached way, as opposed to how expressive she had been that day in the woods and before she had been sent to the dungeons, Sam would just kneel on the floor in front of his father in the throne room, staring, almost unblinkingly, past him as he asked her question after question, only to be met by silence after long silence, her lack of reaction making the Prince worry that the mental strain of her imprisonment was taking it's toll on her mind, as some people were known to suffer when imprisoned for any length of time, eating away at her mind as guilt ate away at him.

Legolas did not think the woman deserved to be done such harm, allowed to mentally unravel until nothing was left of her, not for just associating with dwarves, or intruding into their kingdom. He did not understand why she was so loyal to the dwarves anymore than his father did, but, truthfully, her loyalty to people not her kin or her kind in face of the eternal imprisonment his father promised should she not speak was amazing, something that would be commended in almost any other situation, but alas, Thranduil would not listen to his son, and so she suffered and remained mute.

Thranduil became more and more frustrated with the woman by the day, looking almost tempted to strike her at times, usually near the end of their several hours long interrogation sessions, but he never did lay a finger on her, he left that to her guards.

Every time the two elves, Authast and Asgaranwar, took her back to her cell, they 'punished' her for disobeying their king, for associating with the Company, and for stealing from an elf friend, constantly reminding her of her crimes against the elves of Mirkwood, no doubt hoping their badgering would eventually make her more inclined to betray the Company, but Sam's rather contrary nature just made her more and more determined to stay silent and prove them wrong, but they also told Sam of how the Company was suffering because of her, how they were being tortured because she refused to say anything to Thranduil, they tried to fill her head with lies about what the Company was saying about her, exacerbating her fears, but never causing doubt to enter her mind, for she knew her dwarves, and she knew, knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that they cared about her and would never say any of the cruel things the two awful elves claimed they did.

The elves continued their verbal abuse, entering into much more mentally and emotionally harmful territory, by calling Sam all manner of names, dwarf whore was a favorite of theirs, and accusing her of foul acts, insulting her character and her morals, trying to debase her, trying to make her feel worthless so that she would bend to their will, but they did not succeed in that regard, for Sam had been down that road before, her mother's cruel criticisms coming to mind, Sam's memories of her own inner chastisement of herself before she had found the strength to resist the influence of her mother's inherent disapproval and high standards for her having taught her how to resist such things as the elves were saying, Sam knowing better than to listen to the lies, to the horrible self loathing that they could cultivate in a person if they did listen.

So Sam did not listen, allowing herself to disassociate and zone out so she would not have to, the two elves never seeming to notice her lack of attention, their inability to detect her mental checkout saving her from more physical harm and allowing her to protect herself from their words and the things they could cause, but, she was always cognizant of what was going on around her, always watching and wary of the two evil elves, so, despite the fact that she had tuned out what the elves were saying, she was never not aware, just in her own mental safe place, ironically, the same place she had retreated to when one of her classes was entirely too boring to pay attention to, which was how she had developed the ability to mentally checkout and still pay attention to begin with.

Sam did not bother trying to convince Authast and Asgaranwar the pendant had been hers, their belief in her guilt was already so deep seated, in just a few hours time, that trying to contradict it would only bring her to more harm.

The first time they 'punished' her, they had simply beaten her, punching and kicking her, throwing her to the ground, both had, unfortunately, noticed how her shoulder and wrists pained her more and had made sure to wrench her shoulder behind her and up, nearly dislocating it again, twisting her wrists and squeezing them with all of their might, a gag in her mouth or a hand over it to stifle her screams and cries, then they threw her back in her cell, battered and bruised.

Sam had not known what to do at that point, lying on the floor of her cell after having suffered their abuse, never having been physically harmed intentionally like that before, much more familiar with the emotional variety as she was, but all she could do, trapped in a cell as she was, with no friendly face in sight, was cry as a result of all of the shock, the fear, and the pain the two awful elves had caused, eventually crying herself to sleep, praying that Bilbo would find her and she would at least have some company and news of the others, instead of just being alone, scared, and hurt in her cell.

Every day after that first beating and verbal attack the two elven guards had focused on exacerbating her existing injuries, why, she didn't know, but their actions were keeping her wrists and shoulder from continuing to heal, damaging them enough that they had started to hurt almost as much as they had before Gandalf healed them, still trying to break down her mind and emotion, but still not succeeding.

Authast and Asgaranwar were making all of her new and old bruises worse with repeated punches and kicks to the same areas, making Sam so sore and in pain she was barely able to move, the hours of kneeling she did in front of Thranduil only making her more sore, contributing to her tendency to utterly zone out when the elven king was questioning her, although she couldn't say she didn't enjoy frustrating the pompous windbag, she just did not like the way she was doing it.

Sam hadn't noticed the attention she had garnered from Tauriel when she was in the throne room, the Captain usually standing right behind Thranduil, but out of Sam's line of site, ostensibly to protect Thranduil, but more to satisfy her own curiosity about the human, though she found herself more often than not concerned by the appearance of the human, noticing that she seemed to be in pain constantly, something that should not be happening when she had been given the anti-venom and was simply left in her cell the rest of the time, the amount of rest and idleness that she was enduring while imprisoned supposed to have allowed any other injuries she was afflicted by to heal.

It was because of these glances that Authast and Asgaranwar had decided to continuously aggravate her existing injuries rather than make new ones, not wanting to give any obvious signs, such as new bruises on her face or neck, that they were hurting the human daily, as, should she be examined, her bruises could be explained by her fight with the spiders and their slow healing from some lingering affects from the venom, her own prior ill health, and the fact that she was human, as they did not heal as quickly as elves or dwarves.

Needless to say, Sam was not doing well, and she was only going to get worse, as durable as she was, if Bilbo did not find her soon.

/I See Fire! Oh, You Know I Saw a City Burning Up!/

Bilbo had been wandering around the elven city for two weeks, looking for Sam, the Company urging him to find her before trying to devise a way out, as he had been looking for her and looking for a way out the entire time, to no avail.

All of the Company was worried for their lass, none of them liking the idea that she was isolated from them, everyone having grown used to seeing her, and each other, everyday, her not being near just making them all agitated and anxious, all of them worried because the last time any of them had seen her she had looked terrible and had been barely able to walk, Thorin as anxious for news of her as everyone else (because Bilbo knew exactly where their king was and they had been in contact with him through relayed messages) especially because he had been the last of them to see her.

They were all pacing their cells, doing anything they could think of to keep themselves busy, carving rude words and drawings into the walls of their cells, coming up with new braiding styles for their hair, anything that could keep them busy and from driving themselves nuts from the combination of boredom, anxiety born of the separation with their friends and family, and just not knowing what was going to happen, to themselves or anyone else, what Thranduil could be doing to Sam in his quest for information at the forefront of their minds.

The Company, including Thorin, as relayed by Bilbo, had apologized to each other for their behavior in the forest, the anger, despair, and exhaustion that had made them treat each other so awfully gone now that they were out of the forest, away from the darkness that had been influencing them all.

The sense of being a family that had been lost under the dark canopy of the trees was now back, being separated from each other only serving to remind them of all they had been through together, the bonds that had been created strengthened by the direness of their situation, driving them to provide each other with as much comfort as they could from their individual cells, whether it was just talking to each other or trying to entertain each other by coming up with riddles or something.

All of them had been threatened by the elven king when they were taken away for questioning, individually, understanding that they might be stuck in the elven kingdom for a while, if not the rest of their lives, if Bilbo was caught, something they didn't think was going to happen thanks to his nifty invisibility inducing ring, a godsend in their situation.

When Balin had first been taken away for questioning, they had hoped the clever old dwarf might be able to trick their captors into mentioning the whereabouts of their lass or how she was doing, Bilbo hoping to follow them after they left the interrogation room to her cell, but they had refused to say anything about her, not even acknowledging that she was in the kingdom, and the elves that left had only gone down to the cellars to drink wine until they had passed out, going on about the king's good taste in wine.

So each of member of the Company had tried different tactics to get information about their lass, or somehow influence them into going to her cell so Bilbo could follow them to Sam, when they were brought in for interrogation over the course of their two week stay.

Fili and Kili had tried to be as annoying and obtuse as dwarvishly possible to make them slip up in anger or exasperation, to no avail, in fact, the red haired she elf captain of the guard had seemed amused by their antics (the duo had been somewhat bemused by this, somewhat happy they had managed to get one of the stuffy elves to laugh, but annoyed that the she elf had not rewarded them for their efforts by telling them something about Sam, the brothers terribly worried for their friend, they did not want to think what her nightmares were doing to her now that she was alone without anyone to comfort her, and they didn't want to even consider what the elves might try to do to her in her weakened state, neither noticing the dawning understanding on Tauriel's face as she observed the two and their fellows).

Dwalin had tried being belligerently obstinate and rude, trying to be as stereotypically dwarvish as possible to make their prejudices loosen their tongues, but that hadn't worked either, the elves just deciding to gag him as they brought him back to his cell, yelling at him to shut up when Dwalin didn't stop yelling obscenities and off-color comments when he had been thrown back in his cell. This had rather amused the Company, truthfully, the little bit of mirth direly needed, to see the elves so exasperated by Dwalin, who kind of pouted when his plan didn't work, scowling lightly as his brother reminded him that Balin had told him it wouldn't work, but Dwalin didn't get annoyed, the chuckles of the Company around him soothing, somehow, because it meant they had not given themselves up to despair, even as they all continued to wonder what had happened to Sam and why they elves were being so secretive about where and how she was, and whether they would ever see her or the outside world again.

Dwalin was willing to bet it was because they elves figured the less they knew about Sam the more likely they were to crack, something that might actually happen if they were kept in their cells for long enough, and because the elves felt she was somehow their secret weapon against the dwarves, they were so sure that she would betray them, having no idea that Sam would say nothing to betray her dwarves, because she knew what that would mean for the Company and their quest.

Bofur had tried talking to the elves in riddles, with roundabout descriptions of things and long winded answers that didn't actually say anything, resulting in him getting gagged as well before being tossed back in his cell, the nonsense he yelled at the backs of the retreating elves, again, amusing the Company, mostly because that was so Bofur, and the evil grin that had been on his face, despite his failure to learn anything about there Sam was, was priceless, the dwarf having enjoyed harassing the elves far too much (Thorin had chuckled at Bilbo's description of this, the hobbit correct in him needing something to lighten him up after having been isolated, because dwarves, in general, did not do well when isolated, being the very social creatures that they were).

Nori had tried almost every trick he knew for getting information on the elves, but they had not risen to the bait, then he had attempted to pick their pockets to get keys or something that Bilbo might be able to use, but the elves had been on guard for such attempts, taking note of his keen eyes and the way he moved, interpreting the signs correctly that he was a thief, increasing their dislike of the dwarves because of their willingness to employ and become thieves, proof of their unscrupulous characters (in their minds at least), and the elves had thwarted all of Nori's efforts, leaving them no closer to learning anything.

When Bombur had been brought in for questioning he had gone for seeming like a clumsy, stupid dwarf, always stepping on their elven toes and just staring at them blankly when they asked questions.

Bifur had simply flipped them the dwarvish version of the bird and crossed him arms, doing nothing but glaring at the elves, because he could not communicate with them anyway.

Dori had tried to be very polite, but uninformative, a tactic for gathering information that Nori couldn't pull off because it just didn't suit his nature, the elves very surprised by how different Dori was from his fellows, the elven prince, Legolas, trying to engage him in conversation, but he soon learned he would learn as little from Dori as from any of the others, and unwilling to provide any information himself, as Legolas had noticed how all of the dwarves were attempting to find out things about the woman, some more surreptitiously and closer to success than others, something that only further intrigued him, and made him want to tell them about her, entertaining the idea that such an act of good faith might inspire them to provide the information his father so desired, but he abstained, wary of the wrath such an action would bring down upon him on behalf of his father, for not even he was exempt from the wrath of the king.

Ori hadn't known what to do, so he had stuck to saying nothing, fidgeting all the while to mask any reaction he might have to anything they said, hoping the elves would notice his fidgeting and compare it to something they had seen Sam do, as Ori had observed Sam do some of the things he was doing when she was nervous, like crack all of her knuckles, pick at her nails, and chew her bottom lip.

Oin had tried giving them a bunch of utterly wrong and useless information, that they had seemed to believe for a time, before they had tried to corroborate the information and found it false.

Gloin had just crossed his arms and grumbled insults and such at the elves, a quieter version of Dwalin's tactic, but with much the same results.

Thorin had ignored Thranduil when he had come to his cell to question him, not even acknowledging the king, hoping he would offer some kind of deal for information that would reveal a detail, a place, a time, anything that Thorin could tell Bilbo that would aide them in their attempts to find Sam and get out.

The Company had tried all of these tactics in their interrogation sessions in addition to harassing the guards from their cells, when they were being taken to and from their the awful boxes with bars, doing anything they could think of to try and learn something, but, after two weeks of trying, they had learned absolutely nothing.

The Company knew the elves thought Sam was their weakest link, and they were right, not because she would betray them, but because the Company wanted to keep her safe, and every day that went by they came closer and closer to actually considering giving the elves some information, if only for the sake of their lass.

When Thorin had been taken away from the throne room the first day they were taken prisoner Bilbo had followed the king, thinking that the elves would put Sam in the same area as the rest of the Company, as she was but a human among dwarves, an oddity, admittedly, yet nothing too strange and worthy of note, at least in Bilbo's initial opinion, but oh had he been wrong, if he had known how things would go he would have followed Sam that day instead of Thorin, because Thorin constantly had elves going to and from his cell which would have made it relatively easy to find, he really should have followed her, in retrospect, as she had been the most vulnerable member of the Company at the time, and she had been in the most direct danger, especially considering how cruel the two elves guarding her had been.

But Bilbo had assumed that Thorin would be in more danger of harm than Sam was because, well, Thranduil had a grudge against Thorin and his family, so it made sense that he would seek to do harm or humiliate or something to the dwarven king, but they had done nothing of the sort, only isolating him and interrogating him, nothing more.

If Bilbo had known that finding Sam would become such an issue, that they would learn absolutely nothing about their dear girl in two weeks, he would have followed her, because now he was worried that something awful had happened to her and that was why the elves said nothing, because she had died or was so gravely afflicted by the spider venom that she had become unresponsive and they could do nothing for nor learn anything from her, so they were keeping the dwarves in a state of limbo, not telling them anything about her, in hopes they could still get information from them, because the elves, no doubt, knew that if any harm had come to Sam, and the dwarves found out, that the dwarves would become entirely uncooperative, and likely violent, as a result.

Bilbo prayed desperately to any deity that would listen that none of that was true, that Sam was alive and relatively well, hidden somewhere in the depths of the maze that was Thranduil's kingdom, just waiting for him to find her.

It was with all of these fears and hopes in mind that Bilbo continued his search.

/And I See Fire! Feel the Heat upon My Skin!/

The Company had now been trapped in the elven kingdom for two and a half weeks, Bilbo still not able to find Sam, the Company growing more worried by the day.

But Bilbo had recently discovered a part of the underground dungeons that he had yet to search, discovered when he had to duck into a side passage to avoid on coming elves on his way to visit Thorin, to bring him news and messages from the Company. Thorin had urged him to search the area as soon as possible, hoping their hobbit would finally find Sam, especially now that Bilbo had a good idea of how he was going to get them all out of Thranduil's clutches, and they were running out of time until the perfect opportunity to escape, the Festival of Starlight, was to begin.

The dwarven king had not been very enthusiastic about the idea of floating down a river in barrels, though the idea of drunken elves did amuse him slightly, but, a way out was a way out, so he could not complain about Bilbo's unorthodox, if very creative, plan, he and the rest of the Company more than ready to leave the awful place that was Mirkwood.

So there Bilbo was, carefully making his way down a relatively dark passage, not making any sound, looking for their lass.

The hobbit ducked into another side passage as two elves started walking in his direction, having come from around a corner up ahead.

Bilbo's eyes widened, recognizing the elves as those who had searched Sam that day in the woods, now so long ago, the realization that he had not seen them since that day spurring him to move quickly once they had passed, convinced that he would finally find Sam around the corner they had just come from.

When Bilbo rounded the corner he did, indeed, find a cell door, almost squealing with delight and triumph, for the cell door was flanked by two chairs, a clear indication that it was being guarded.

The hobbit ran up to the door, sticking his face between the bars, squinting into the darkness, unable to see anything, but unwilling to give up hope just yet, and, making sure that their was no one around, even daring to take off his ring, began to urgently and excitedly whisper," Sam? Sam, my dear girl, are you in there?"

Bilbo listened for a moment, about to speak again, when he heard a," Bilbo? Bilbo, is that you?"

Bilbo's blood ran cold, for that was indeed his dear Sam's voice, but it was far weaker and raspy than he had ever heard it, the slight desperation and utter hope and relief in it almost bringing the hobbit to tears, his previous fears for what the elves might do to her coming back in full force, as it seemed his fears had come to fruition if the poor girl's voice was any indication, but he did not let his distress and fear for her take the relief and happiness at finding her out of his voice, though it did wobble a bit," Yes, my dear Sam, it is me, it's Bilbo. Oh, by Yavanna, Sam, I have been all over this wretched place looking for you for weeks, we have all been so worried about you, Sam, so worried," tears of relief and happiness were now falling down his cheeks, unable to keep them in, so relieved to find Sam alive, his voice becoming wet, even as he smiled slightly," you should see the way the Company paces their cells like trapped rats, though, in all honesty, Thorin is more like a trapped lion trying to decide how to kill his captors, as cruelly and painfully as possible." He heard a snort accompanying his wet chuckle at that, some of his worry diminishing, hoping that, since her sense of humor was intact, Sam was not too bad off," They all harass the elves on a daily basis, I swear they are enjoying themselves when they do, oh you should have seen Bofur's evil smirk one day...they have all been trying to get information about where you are and how you are doing since we were caught, Sam. Oh, thank all the Valar, Sam, I am so relieved to have found you."

Bilbo stopped speaking as his watery eyes widened, the form of his dear friend emerging from the darkness, crouching and hunched, moving cautiously and carefully towards him, her arms wrapped around her chest, the sight of her scaring him, although, as awful as she looked, she did not look like the most horrible of his imaginings and fears had come to pass, but was still far from alright.

Sam was thinner than he remembered her being when they had been caught, and that was saying something considering how thin she had been at that point, her dirty and torn clothes hanging off of her frame. She looked haggard and stressed and just plain tired, dark circles under her eyes, no doubt from lack of sleep due to her nightmares, with nothing and no one to comfort her in the aftermath, the additional strain of her own no doubt unpleasant interrogation sessions just making her worse.

But, what really disturbed Bilbo, was the fact that she was in obvious pain, obvious to him at least, as he could now see she hadn't actually wrapped her arms around herself, she was using the forearm of her right arm to support her left arm, no doubt to reduce the strain on her once again injured shoulder, and she wasn't using her hands to move towards him, her wrists obviously hurting her again, though their swelling was hidden by her gauntlets and gloves, as she had not been stripped of as much of her clothing as the dwarves, the only thing the elves had done that was any manner of kindness.

"Oh, Sam."

Sam smiled at her friend, knowing she did not look any kind of good as she approached him, probably looking as exhausted and pained as she felt, the poor hobbit probably more worried now than he had already been, but Sam was incredibly relieved to see Bilbo, the relief showing on her face and in her eyes, Bilbo's horror reducing slightly, more than happy to see her smile again, no matter that it was far less bright than he was used to, for it was a smile nonetheless.

Sam had felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders when she had heard Bilbo's voice, her heart soaring, all the stress and tension leaving her shoulders at the sight of the hobbit, never so happy to see someone in her life, the ache in her heart that was her worry and desire for the Company at her side easing as her solitude was ended, her fears already slipping away at the mention of the Company's antics, Bilbo's very presence providing some relief from the horrors of her nightmares that still haunted her mind, the hobbit ever a comforting soul.

The hobbit was thinner than she had last seen him, probably from living concealed and always hiding in the elven city, likely only scrounging food and sleep when he could, but, other than that, he was still her Bilbo.

"So, the Company is alright? They aren't being tortured or anything are they? Denied food or water? Are they still close to each other? How is Thorin, is Thranduil doing him any harm?" Sam smirked, the familiar look further comforting Bilbo," Has our dear lion king taken a bite out of the pointy eared windbag yet? And how are you Bilbo? How are you holding up in all of this madness?"

Bilbo could only chuckle and shake his head at Sam's characteristic sarcasm and concern, for how awful she looked and likely felt, she was still their Sam, and she seemed to be looking better by the minute, Bilbo gladdened that his companionship and the news he brought was making her feel so much better already, for he had no doubt part of why she looked so awful was because she had been left alone for so long to contend with her injuries and nightmares all by herself.

Bilbo reached his hands through the bars of the cell and cupped Sam's face in his hands, the girl pressing her cheeks into the friendly and infinitely comforting touch, feeling how cold and somewhat clammy Sam was, making him frown when he realized that she was also very pale, although that could be from being in the dark for almost three weeks, for Bilbo knew Sam was used to constantly being outside and in the sun, something that had been true of her life long before the quest for Erebor brought them together.

"No, no, no, Sam. They are all relatively fine, they are all stressed and very worried about you, mostly, but also very worried about each other and Thorin and me and trying to get out of here and that sort of thing. They are not being tortured or starved, everyone but you, Thorin, and me always in relatively close proximity. And Thorin is fine, lonely, worried, and agitated, but our fearless leader is fine, and he hasn't bitten Thranduil yet, but I would pay to see him do it, and he might yet. And I am fine, all things considered," Bilbo smiled as Sam gave a rough chuckle and a relieved sigh before his own relieved expression turned concerned again," but I cannot say the same for you. Sam, what has happened to you? What have the elves done to you? Because, pardon me for saying, but you look awful, the worst I have ever seen you. Why are the elves being so much more cruel to you than our dear, slightly crazy and entirely idiotic, dwarves?"

Sam could only smile a little wider at Bilbo's description of the Company, even as she pressed her face more firmly into his palms, taking strength from the hobbit's presence, tears beginning to streak down her face," Oh, Bilbo, it's been awful, it's been so, so awful."

Once again, Bilbo's blood ran cold at Sam's voice, the fear and pain and loneliness she had been forced to endure making itself known as Sam started to speak again, telling him of the abuse she had suffered at the hands of the two elves who had been guarding her since their capture, the cruel words they said to her and called her, the accusations, the things they had told her were happening to the Company, the lies they had tried to convince her were true, she told him about the lack of food, the lack of sleep, the long interrogations from Thranduil, how she had been made to kneel before him for hours, how scared and alone she had felt, how awful everything had been.

Bilbo was holding Sam through the bars by the time she was finished telling him everything, curled into his arms, tears streaming down her face, every awful thing that had happened to her being cleansed from her by her tears and Bilbo's embrace.

It was some minutes before Sam stopped crying, minutes more before she straightened up, but she remained in Bilbo's arms, the hobbit unwilling to let her go even if she had tried to pull away, the dear girl wanting, needing, as much comfort as he could provide at the moment, and Bilbo was more than willing to give as much as hobbitly possible, even as he fumed, righteously angry on Sam's behalf, more angry than he could ever remember being in his entire life (and that was saying something considering how angry he had gotten at his cousins, the Sackville-Baggins, on several occasions), outraged at her treatment, at what she had been made to suffer through, aghast at the horrors the elves had wrought on Sam for barely any reason at all, his heart breaking at how Sam had bravely suffered through it all, how she had survived it, and how it had done her enough harm that the usually strong girl was crying in his arms, just so grateful for a friend and some assurance that she would not be stuck in this hell for the rest of her life, reminding Bilbo that he still needed to tell her of his plan for their escape.

"Remind me never to get you angry, cause that is the scariest expression I have ever seen on your face, it might even be scary enough to get Dwalin and Thorin to wet their trousers, or laugh, cause the idea of an enraged Bilbo Baggins, the once oh so proper gentle hobbit of the Shire looking about ready to blow his top, at elves no less, is a rather odd, and kinda funny idea. And they might think that expression in as adorable as a toddler trying to be really angry, because, no offense my friend, with as small as you are, that is kind of what you resemble at the moment."

Bilbo was brought back out of his angry and despairing thoughts, all on Sam's behalf, by her entirely too watery and broken looking cheshire grin, the usual mischief in it overshadowed by her remaining sorrow, but Bilbo couldn't help the chuckle that wracked his frame as he processed just what Sam had said, the truth and oddness and humor of the statement so out of place in this situation that he could not hope to do anything else.

Bilbo felt Sam relax as he chuckled, some of his own tension leaving his frame, because, as horrible as everything seemed at the moment, as broken as Sam looked in his arms right now, as tired as they both were, as pained as she was, as worried and agitated as the Company had been the entire two and a half weeks they had been trapped in this horrible elven kingdom, he knew everything would be alright, because Sam still had her sense of humor, and, as long as she could still laugh and smile, no matter how broken it was at the moment, everything would be ok, because it meant she had not broken, that she would be alright, given time and the opportunity to recover, and that meant the Company would be alright, because they would never be able to forgive themselves, Bilbo, and probably Gandalf, included, if something ever happened to her, if she was ever truly lost to them, because the Valar knew just how much they had all come to love this ridiculously odd, silly, kind, lovable, sarcastic, fierce, industrious, understanding, curious, and utterly loving girl in the time they had all known each other, because she was the glue holding them all together, what had made them into the family they had become, Bilbo might have helped it along a bit, but, ultimately, Sam had been the person to bring them all together because of how she had needed and wanted their help and friendship and to truly get to know them, her honest curiosity and readily given trust and friendship drawing them all to her like moths to a flame, the desire to keep her safe, to teach her, to get to know her as well as she was getting to know them serving as a rallying and bonding point for the Company, and those bonds were as strong as mithril at this point, as nothing but death could hope to break them now, and even that might not be enough to destroy the love and trust and loyalty and understanding uniting the Company.

It was with all of this in mind, feeling more loved and like he belonged somewhere, like he had a family, than he had in years, that Bilbo gave Sam a squeeze and tilted his head forward so that their foreheads were touching, though the bars of her cell got in the way a bit, both having come to learn the intimacy and trust that the gesture inspired, thanks to their dwarves, and the comfort it could offer when it was given by a family member, both of their eyes closing as Sam and Bilbo took a breath in sync, letting it out as their eyes opened, Bilbo and Sam making eye contact, both smiling as they found the same relief and love and hope in each other's eyes, the last of their tension melting away.

Bilbo's eyes were still sparkling when he attempted a slight pout, all but ruined by the way he was obviously trying to keep from smiling, "I do not look like an angry toddler," he huffed for dramatic effect, Sam's frame shaking as she tried to stifle a chuckle," I look like an angry six year old." Bilbo put on an affronted and snooty expression, still ruined by his smile, but that was all it took as Sam descended into a giggle fit, snorting a couple of times.

After Sam had calmed down, now looking much better than she had when Bilbo had first arrived, the hobbit spoke, "Now, I have a plan I would like to discuss with you."

So Bilbo told her all about his plan to get them out, how the mechanism in the cellars worked, how the elves liked to get drunk and how the Feast of Starlight was coming up in just three days, and how that was when they would make their escape.

Sam listened intently to Bilbo's plan until he was finished, then she made her own suggestions on how to make it better, and how they could use some of the resources available to make the next portion of their quest go a little smoother.

/And I See Fire!/

"They've been doing what to her?!"

Dwalin's bellow, exactly like the one that Thorin had produced when he told the king he had found Sam and just what had been done to her, the news enraging Dwalin much as it had Thorin as his words echoed around the cell block the majority of the Company were being kept prisoner in, a chorus of other outraged shouts, exclamations, and murmurs followed, the entire Company beyond shocked at the way their lass had been treated by the elves, all of them having thought the elves were capable of awful things, but never quite believing they would do any of it, especially not to Sam.

"Shut up! Shut up! All of you! There are guards nearby!" Bilbo's urgent hissing did quiet the Company, but they were all still fuming at the awful news Bilbo brought of their lass.

The hobbit did not think he had ever seen Fili, Kili, Ori, and Bofur look so angry before, and decided he did not like the expression on their faces, and couldn't say he would ever want to see the expressions on their faces again, much preferring their usual smiles, but, considering how Sam had described his own expression after she had told him all of the things he had just relayed to their dwarves, he couldn't blame them, but they way Sam had described him only made him smile slightly.

"I know, I know, it is all awful, our dear Sam has had to suffer more than she ever should have, but, all things considered, she is, in fact, alright."

"Bilbo, how can you say she's alright when she's being tortured by the damned pointy eared bastards, not to mention starved, and in pain, and who knows how long it will take her shoulder and wrists to recover now!"

Kili's exclamation was met by a chorus of agreements from the other members of the Company, Bilbo shaking his head.

Bilbo completely understood their concern and their anger, but letting it rule them would do none of them any good, so he would give them reason to believe his words, a small, ironic smile forming on his face," I can say that, my dear Kili, because I know she is alright, and I know she is alright," the Company looked like they were about to protest again, so Bilbo held up his hand, all of them quieting," because, if she was not, I do not think Sam would have felt the need to point out that I resemble an angry toddler when I am mad, and am, apparently, as equally adorable as such."

The Company looked stunned for half a second, staring at their burglar as he smiled tightly, though satisfied by their reactions, before they broke out in soft chuckles and half smiles, none out right laughing, because they really couldn't in this situation, but the relief and hope and happiness in their eyes, dampened though it was by their grief that Sam had suffered at all, some of them, such as Dori, even sniffling so greatly were they relieved by Sam's retention of her sense of humor, and how, Bilbo was right, that it meant she was ok, not great, but better than they had initially feared, the fact that their lass was so strong making them proud, on some level, yet sad that she had needed to be so strong at all.

Everyone calmed down after a few moments, much more relaxed than they had been when Bilbo had finished telling them of Sam's experience.

"Now," all of them turned towards Bilbo, once again," we will be leaving in just three days time, during the festival when all are occupied or too drunk to notice us, and I have already told you all the basic plan and, barring any major mishaps, that is how we are going to leave, but I fear that, because of Sam's injuries and lack of food, she might be too weak," the dwarves were nodding at this, their worry returning, but wondering where Bilbo was going with this," so, given that all of you have been getting plenty to eat on a regular basis, I think it is both necessary and in the best interests of us all, and definitely Sam, to give her some of your food, so that she might regain at least some of her strength by the time we leave," all the dwarves were nodding emphatically at this, wondering why they hadn't thought of it sooner," and Oin," the old dwarf perked up, looking straight at Bilbo, who was standing in front of his cell so that the half deaf dwarf could read his lips," are there any medicines you could describe for me that would help Sam? I know where the elves keep their medicines, but I don't know what any of it is or what it does, so I don't know what to take and give to Sam to help her."

Oin looked slightly surprised by Bilbo's suggestion of stealing medicine for Sam, but he soon took on a considering look, wondering what would be the best and most efficient medicines would be to treat Sam, and what kind the elves might have on hand," I can describe medicines to you, but, Bilbo, do not give them directly to Sam, bring them to me so I can make sure of what they are and can tell you how much to give her and how to use them, we can not risk giving her the wrong medicine or the wrong dose, because that could do her more harm than good."

The rest of the Company was just listening to their conversation, having nothing to add, for the moment," But, Oin, I don't think that would be wise, the more medicines I take and the longer they are gone the more likely their disappearance, and use, will be noticed, is there nothing else to be done for it?"

Oin shook his head," No, Bilbo, there isn't, I would sooner give her nothing than risk her being given something that I have not seen and cannot say with certainty what it is. I would not put her health at risk like that, especially not in the state she seems to be in."

Bilbo sighed, rubbing a hand across his face, trying to figure out a way to meet Oin's requirements and still not get caught, but, he should have known, their resident thief would have some good advice," Bilbo, the bes' way ta' keep 'em from figurin' ou' tha' you've taken anythin' is ta' make sure they 'ave no way o' tellin," when Bilbo looked at Nori with a confused expression, the thief only smiled and shook his head, continuing," make a mess, Bilbo, put things in places they don' belong, rearrange everythin', put stuff in odd places, like under a chair or in the middle o' the floor, stuff like tha', cause in all the confusion tha' will come from trying' to fix the mess an' put everythin' in it's proper place, figure ou' wha' goes where, an' tryin' ta' figure ou' who done i', no one will miss a few missin' pots o' medicine, especially if'n ya put some o' i' back, cause, by the time they take stock o' wha' they 'ave an' wha' migh' be missin', you'll either o' pu' i' back o' they'll wri' i' off as somethin' tha' ain't been foun' ye' an'we'll be gone, an' they'll be none the wiser fo' our part' in i'."

Nori grinned wickedly as Bilbo smiled at him conspiratorially, the devious grin on the hobbit looking somewhat out of place, but not entirely, both of them liking the idea of messing with the elves, a small bit of petty revenge though it was, while still helping Sam, the plan making perfect sense and perfectly executable, with Oin's requirements still being met.

Fili, Kili, and Bofur all had mischievous grins of their own on their faces, Bilbo glad to see them smiling again, especially since those grin usually boded trouble and, in this case, causing trouble for the elves was perfectly acceptable, the hobbit had a feeling those three, and probably Nori, would be giving him good ideas on where to hide some of the medicines, hopefully able to cause the elves some headaches and exasperation.

Dori and Ori were just beaming at their brother's genius, Dwalin just shaking his head at the admittedly brilliant, and very simple, plan, once again glad for Nori's presence on the quest and his ingenuity.

Balin was chuckling, both at the issues they would be causing the elves, greatly enjoying the idea of getting a little payback for all they had been through, and at the devious grins of certain members of the Company, glad to see them all smiling again and focused on a more light topic than their imprisonment and all the thing they yet still had to face, all of their moods a little brighter in light of their approaching escape.

Bifur and Bombur just looked relieved that they would all be getting out of their soon and that everyone would be ok, especially after Sam got some food in her and some medicine.

Oin was again thinking about what Sam would need, and what medicines they could not use, either because they smelled to strongly to be missed by her guards or because they would easily wash off in their escape, Gloin just looked excited by their impending escape and the prospect of causing some trouble, the poor dwarf terribly bored, and vindictive.

/And I See Fire Burn Auburn on the Mountainside!/

Bilbo spent their last few days in Mirkwood transporting food from the cells of the Company to Sam, who promptly and gratefully scarfed down the bread and vegetables, already looking stronger for the food in her belly, rearranging the elven apothecary and finding odd hiding places to hide whatever medicines struck his fancy, bringing all of those he took back to Oin, returning some of them to the apothecary, or hiding them, and taking those Oin deemed appropriate to Sam, helping her apply or take a dose of the given medicine while her guards were away, the pain in her shoulder and wrists receding with some of the swelling, and, when he wasn't doing all of that, he was doing what Sam had suggested he do to improve their plan.

Bilbo had quite enjoyed hiding the medicine and rearranging the apothecary, moving all of the pots of medicine off the shelves onto almost every other surface in the room, including in front of the door and in the middle of the floor, putting medicine in bedrooms, behind books in the library, under beds and tables and chairs, on walls, on the highest places he could get to, one pot taking up residence on a chandelier (that had been Kili's idea, while Fili and Bofur had suggested moving utensils in the kitchens and replacing them with medicine, and hiding the utensils, partially because it would keep the elves from assuming the odd happenings were an isolated incident and so they didn't pick up on the fact they had targeted the apothecary), on the stairs, and all manner of other odd places.

Needless to say the elves were both very confused and very angry about the rearrangement of the apothecary and it's missing items, but they could blame none of their prisoners, for they were all safely locked up, and no dwarf could possibly be silent enough to go unnoticed by the elves, the fact that they were finding some of the missing medicines in odd places around the city (a dwarf could not hope to get to the chandelier) indicating that there was no theft involved, another point against the dwarves as the culprit, because if they had bothered to cause chaos in the apothecary they surely would have taken something, and there was also the business of the missing utensils in the kitchens, annoying the cooks to no end, but there was no food missing and no harm done, another piece of evidence pointing towards another elf rather than the dwarves, who would have taken food had they been there, so they chalked up the mischief to younger elves that had grown antsy in the days before the Starlight Festival.

Legolas and Tauriel had spent a few hours puzzling out how all of the medicines had been moved and carried around the city with no one noticing, or seeing anyone coming to and from the apothecary, and could make heads nor tails of it. They had also tried to figure out how in the world the dwarves would have managed, even if they had been able to get out of their cells, to do any of it, entertaining the idea they had managed to miss one in the forests and that dwarf had some how managed to hide itself and sneak around in the city for three weeks, unable to find how that could be possible and finding no evidence to support the idea, thus, they had been the ones to ultimately decide it had been the work of younger elves, probably guards for that matter, as they were the only ones that knew the guard schedules and comings and goings of the other citizens well enough to remain unseen.

So Legolas and Tauriel had given a decent tongue lashing to the guards on the whole, deciding, since those responsible had not made themselves known, they would lecture them all in hopes that no one would do it again, despite how funny the two actually thought it was, terribly amused by the ranting, angry mumbling, and generally agitated behavior of the elves in charge of the apothecary, all of them usually so solemn and absorbed by their work.

The Prince and Captain both had to try to keep their chuckles in when other elves from around the city would come to apothecary to return medicine only to have a funny story about where it was and how they had managed to get it down (it had taken three elves sitting on each other's shoulders to get the pot on the chandelier down, but they had all been rather drunk, so it had not ended at all like they had hoped, as they had been listing from side to side and stumbling, nearly dropping the pot in question when they toppled over, the pot landing safely on one of their stomachs, drawing a drunken cheer from the three even as Legolas shook his head, a small smile on his face, and Tauriel face palmed, exasperated at their ridiculous drunken shenanigans).

Thranduil had just been annoyed by the mischief in the apothecary, but unconcerned, more preoccupied by his continuing lack of success with the human, unable to get her to say even a word in three weeks, and he didn't know what to do about it.

/Far Over Misty Mountains Cold/

The day of the Festival of Starlight came, and the Company was more than ready to leave.

Oin had identified a powerful sleep drought as one of the medicines Bilbo had brought to him in their quest to find medicine for Sam, and Bilbo had kept it, planning on using it to ensure their safe escape.

The hobbit haunted the cellar on the day of the Festival, waiting for the guard with the keys to come down and drink with his friends, none of them noticing how their decanter of wine was suddenly more full as Bilbo poured the sleeping drought into it, ensuring that none of them would notice, or be able to wake up, when he, the dwarves, and Sam entered the cellar and escaped.

The guard eventually came down and began to drink, and, before long, they were all in a deep, deep sleep, so Bilbo took the keys and went to get his friends.

He released Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Balin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin, Nori, Ori, Dori, Fili, and Kili first, as they were further from the cellar and and were the easiest to release.

The dwarves had given each other hugs, claps on the back, and a few forehead bonks before they set off after Bilbo, all of them glad to finally be out of the blasted cells and be near each other again, all excited to see Thorin and Sam after a near month long separation.

Bilbo led them down passageway after passageway until he bid them hide in the vicinity of a certain doorway, while he slipped into the darkness to retrieve their missing members.

/To Dungeons Deep, and Caverns Old/

Bilbo released Sam first, as she was further away, the two surging towards each other in their first proper hug in nearly a month, Sam much better looking for all of the medicine and food he had brought her over the last few days, she still looked awful, and the Company would probably still fuss over her horribly, but she was much better than she had been.

Sam's shoulder and wrists were far less swollen than they had been, the severe reduction in pain allowing Sam to use her hands and dominant arm again, if gingerly, and the rest of her bruises had begun to heal, as Oin said they would, even in just a few days time, the effectiveness of elven medicine nothing to sneeze at.

"It is so good to be out of that cell, Bilbo. I hated being in that cage." Sam glared at the cell from over his head, looking tempted to curse or something at it, but knowing that would do absolutely nothing, so she squeezed Bilbo again before letting go, a relieved and somewhat nervous smile on her face, their impending escape making her antsy," And it's a good thing we are leaving now too, those two awful elves, Authast and Asgaranwar, were beginning to get suspicious, wondering why I've looked better and been more mentally with it the last few days."

Bilbo scowled slightly, having a distinct hate for the two elves who had hurt their lass," Then it is most fortunate indeed then that we are leaving." His face relaxed again," Come, Thorin is as anxious to get out as you are, and just as anxious to see you as you are him, and everyone else."

Bilbo led Sam down a few dark passage ways until they got to the one Thorin was in.

Bilbo murmured to the king as Sam stood behind him, watching both ends of the passageway, just in case, as Bilbo finally unlocked Thorin's door.

Thorin didn't look terribly great, his hair was a mess, he was skinnier than he had been, he was too pale, and his eyes looked tired, so very tired, likely from the long period of solitude and little physical contact with anyone, but the king still stood tall and sturdy, the broad set of his shoulders firm and a defiant look on his face, telling both Sam and Bilbo he was fine, he was just in dire need of a bath, some rest, and some time with his Company.

Thorin gave Bilbo a slight smile before his gaze settled on Sam, his eyes narrowing as he took in her appearance, a familiar scowl taking up residence on his face, directed at the elves who had done her harm, taking a few steps toward Sam, saying nothing, just studying her, taking in all the damage done, and the way Sam stood a little straighter, all but completely putting her shoulders back as she smiled softly at him, her gladness at finally getting to see one of the Durins, another of the Company, alive and relatively well easing her leftover fears from her nightmares, her joy at being reunited with her friend and, soon, with the rest of their family apparent, trying to convey with her eyes that she was alright, in spite of everything, and that he need not worry over her, that all would be well, given time.

Thorin lifted his large hands to gently cup her face, rubbing his thumbs across her cheekbones, his scowl softening as Sam pressed her cheek into his palm, saying nothing, though her eyes watered with happy tears, Thorin wiping away a few that had escaped with his thumbs, knowing the king wanted to assure himself of her well being, regardless of the fact that she was standing before him in better health than she had been in just a few days ago, just as she had assured herself of his when she had studied him as soon as he had stepped out of his cell.

Thorin, gently, took Sam's chin turned and tilted her head from side to side, up and down, looking at her face from all angles, observing all the tiredness, pallor, and slight pain in her features and eyes, as hidden though it was by her smile and her happiness. He gently, with one of his hands now on the back of her head, brought her head down towards his and gently tapped her forehead to his, in apology for all she had to endure and to try and convey just how happy he was to see she was alive after almost three weeks of not knowing her fate.

Thorin couldn't help but smile slightly at the slight widening of her eyes, hearing Bilbo chuckle, Sam, although she knew Thorin and Bilbo had touched foreheads in the weeks after their capture, because the hobbit had told her, the contact some of the only small comfort their dear burglar could provide their king given their situation, the fact that it had happened at all showing the leaps and bounds that had been made in their friendship since Bag End, when Thorin had called Bilbo a grocer, still surprised that he would touch foreheads with her, the simple act making Sam happier than she already was, the care and acceptance of Thorin Oakenshield, as a friend and member of the strange family that was the Company, more than she had ever hoped to gain over the course of their journey.

Thorin pulled away from her after a moment, giving Sam a small grin before his face regained it's dour expression, continuing his inspection of her, circling around and taking in the way she was holding herself, her stance, her arms, and hands, noting the new calluses on the palms from her weapons, the callus on her middle finger of her left hand no longer from a quill, but a bow string.

"I'm having a sense of deja vu." Thorin looked up at Sam's face as he came back around to her front, cocking his head slightly, too distracted by making sure she was alright to bother speaking, analyzing all he had just observed and drawing conclusion about Sam's health, generally pleased that she seemed alright.

Sam rolled her eyes at Thorin," You circled around me like that the night we all met in Bag End, giving me a once over then as you are now, but for entirely different reasons." Sam chuckled, " You still remind me of a wolf circling it's prey, though, at the moment, I have no doubt you are mentally circling many of the elves rather than me, like you were then."

Bilbo just chuckled more at Thorin's slightly surprised, then bemused, expression," Indeed I did, didn't I? That night I was looking for reasons to not take you along, but now, that time seemingly years behind us, I look to make sure you are alright to travel." Thorin shook his head as his eyes became slightly wistful, again wondering how in the world they had managed to get Sam and Bilbo as members of the Company, wondering how they would have survived without the two should they not have come," How ironic."

Thorin and Sam just chuckled at the situation they found themselves in again as Bilbo finally spoke," Terribly ironic, indeed, but I am afraid we must leave, my friends, the rest of the Company is no doubt anxious to see you both, and to get out of here, so if you please." Bilbo gestured down the passageway, Sam and Thorin nodding at the hobbit, all of them walking at a brisk pace down the passageway, towards the light that Sam and Thorin had not seen in nearly a month, towards the family they had dearly missed, and toward their freedom.

/We must Away ere Break of Day/

Next time, Barrels out of Bond!


	12. Chapter 12

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

Enjoy!

/To Seek the Pale Enchanted Gold/

When Bilbo, Sam, and Thorin emerged from the tunnel into the passageway proper they were immediately descended upon by a gaggle of worried dwarves, who had left their hiding places as soon as they could see who was coming, the joy and relief on their faces apparent.

The Company greeted Thorin, many clapping him on the back, before they went over to Sam, giving her light hugs, wary of her injuries, many of them tapping their foreheads to hers, their smiles, and hers, brighter than they had been in weeks.

Fili and Kili, meanwhile, attached themselves to Thorin's sides like leeches, giving him a double bear hug, their faces buried in his neck, as they had missed their uncle dearly and had been worried, hugs that he returned with just as much enthusiasm, allowing himself to bury his face in between their heads, breathing in their scents, assuring himself of their health and well being as they did the same with him, all of them pulling back after a few seconds.

Always in sync, Fili and Kili said," We missed you, Uncle." Their eyes were slightly watery, but they smiled nonetheless, relieved.

Thorin returned his nephews' smiles with one of his own," I missed you two too."

They all stopped what they were doing when they heard Bilbo clear his throat, looking at the hobbit," As much as I hate to break up your reunions after nearly a month of separation, we really do not have the time for this and we need to go. Now."

Everyone nodded with chagrinned expressions, beginning to follow the hobbit again as they resumed their escape, Fili, Kili, and Ori giving Sam more substantial hugs before they moved on.

Sam was stopped from going down the flight of stairs by a hand on her arm, turning around to find Dwalin and Nori looking at her with concern," Ya' sure you're alrigh' lass?"

Dwalin was looking at her face searchingly, not entirely convinced she was healed enough for what they were going to do, Nori looking at her with the same expression, though he seemed to be contemplating how to best hurt Authast and Asgaranwar for what they had done if the outright anger in his eyes was anything to go on.

"Oso, Zorro," both of the dwarves looked her in the eyes, the use of their nicknames, the ones she had given them near the beginning of their journey, instantly grabbing their attention, their use reminding them that Sam was alive in front of them, no longer being tortured in the depths of the elven city, bringing their minds back from the dark places they had wandered," I am fine, I'm not great, but I am ok, so, please, let's go and get out of this horrible place." Sam touched her forehead to each of theirs, trying to convey that she was good enough for now, both smiling slightly when she also patted their cheeks in a patronizing way, her own smile slightly strained now that almost everyone had descended down the stairs, slightly dropping the brave face she had put on to put everyone at ease, her own anxiety and desire to leave manifesting in her eyes.

Dwalin and Nori could both see the slight bit of desperation in Sam's eyes at her statement, realizing she really wanted to escape this place, and all of the memories it entailed, so they just nodded their heads, Dwalin giving her one last hug before Nori took her hand and began to lead her in the direction the Company had gone, Dwalin taking up the rear.

/The Pines were Roaring on the Height/

The Company finally made it to the cellar after going down what seemed to be an endless maze of passageways and stairs, all of them wondering how in the world Bilbo managed to remember how to get down there, or how he had found it in the first place.

As they all came down the last of the steps, they could see the drunken elves asleep at the table, all of them freezing for a moment before Bilbo said," I put sleeping drought in their wine, so no need to worry, they will not be waking up anytime soon."

"Sleeping drought? You gave them the sleeping drought you found?"

Bilbo nodded at Balin's question, the dwarf smiling approvingly at the forethought and good sense behind the action," Excellent idea, laddie." Bilbo only smiled mischievously.

The dwarves wandered around the cellar for a moment as Bilbo went to make sure there was still nothing in the barrels, taking in the shelves and shelves of wine, most finding themselves wondering why the elves would need so much, and how long it would take for them to drink it all.

Bofur was wondering if he could get a taste of the very expensive looking cask on the top shelf, but Bombur and Bifur smacked him upside the head for thinking it, as they could see the considering expression on his face as he looked at the cask.

Nori was hovering over the sleeping elves, contemplating relieving them of their valuables, Gloin and Oin looking on, bemused by the sight of drunken elves, Fili, Kii, and Ori just looking at the three elves, none of them having seen an elf of Mirkwood up close before in a non-combat situation, or just non-threatening situation in general, finding themselves to be comparing the elves to men more than the elves of Rivendell, fore they seemed less refined than Lord Elrond and his kin, less...elvish, if that was even possible, but they all couldn't help but laugh quietly as they noticed one of them was sleeping in their own drool, and another snorted in their sleep as they shifted, smacking their lips, the last of the elves starting to snore, making the tittering dwarves chuckle even more, the Broadbeams had slightly stunned expressions on their faces before they joined in.

The elves of Mirkwood were nothing like they had thought they would be, not half as dainty as the elves of Rivendell had been, much more like the men of Ered Luin that the dwarves were familiar with, and just as slobbish and somewhat disgusting as those men in their drunkeness.

"Would you lot get over here and stop botherin' the elves." Dori's vehement whisper brought them all back over to the barrels that Bilbo, Balin, Dwalin, and Thorin had been inspecting, Nori having attained six nice, new elvish daggers and a hair clip.

"Alright everyone in the barrels, now." Everyone immediately followed their king's order, hopping into the barrels, some needing a boost to get into the higher ones, shuffling and turning about so their heads came out the top, but then they realized that there were only enough barrels for the dwarves, not their lass or their hobbit.

"Wai', wha' are you two ridin' in?" Bofur had stuck his head out of his barrel to speak, as did the rest of the dwarves, looking at the duo, who were whispering at each other, quizzically.

"Well, Bilbo will be riding with you, Bofur, and I will simply be swimming."

The dwarves started to protest at that, even as Sam gave Bilbo a boost to Bofur's barrel, the dwarf pulling the hobbit inside and helping him go right side up, clamping an arm around the hobbit's decidedly smaller-than-it-was middle so he wouldn't fall out or get too jostled in the upcoming ride, Bilbo giving him a grateful smile, positioning his feet on top of Bofur's boots, hoping that would keep his face above the top of the barrel, even as Bofur was, along with everyone else, trying to convince Sam to get in a barrel and one of them would swim.

Sam rolled her eyes and huffed," Guys, we really do not have the time to argue about this. The fact of the matter is that I am the best swimmer of the Company, Bilbo barely knows how to float to begin with, and, while the rest of you are better off than that, none of you are even half as good as me, so I am the most logical choice to choose for the person stuck swimming."

"But, Sam, you're hurt and tired, you shouldn't being doing something like that. Besides, what makes you think that you're a better swimmer than any of us?" Kili and Fili looked slightly affronted at the assumption, Thorin flicking them both on the forehead for their pride in this situation.

Sam cocked an eyebrow and a hip, crossing her arms, looking entirely unamused as she stood in front of them all, the way some of her behaviors reminded them all of Dis again apparent," I know I am the best swimmer of the Company, Kili, because I swam for nearly three hours a day most of my childhood, used to compete with other people my age in races, played games in the water constantly, was taught how to save people who are in distress in the water or drowning," here she eyed them all, all of the dwarves getting the point that she meant she would be saving any of their butts should anything happen, something easier done when not confined to a barrel, and they were all beginning to see her point, realizing the amount of time she had spent in the water made her much more able to deal with it than any of them, making her much less likely to drown or come to other harm, even if they didn't really want to acknowledge she was right, as it would mean putting her in more danger than she had been in already on their account," and, I used to be able to swim 100 yards in less than two minutes, I think all of that makes me the most qualified to do the swimming, don't you?"

The dwarves all nodded reluctantly, pulling more securely into their barrels as Sam glared at them, her arms akimbo as she waited for them all to settle.

When Sam was satisfied that they were all safe and sound inside their barrels she gave a nod, giving one more cursory glance over her friends, she huffed in satisfaction, then went over to the lever and said," Bon voyage, boys, I will see you in a few minutes."

Sam waited for them all to nod at her before she pulled the lever, the dwarves unable to help but yelp and yell a bit as they slid down the trap door into the water, making loud splashing noises, Sam hearing them yell about how cold the water was.

Sam could only shake her head and sigh in resignation. Cold water, wonderful, she was gonna freeze her ass off. Oh, joy.

Sam took one last quick look around the cellar to make sure none of them had forgotten anything or left any obvious signs of their departure, seeing nothing, and the elves still deep asleep, Sam walked to the end of the trap door on the actual floor, then sat down on the floor facing the wall and scooted herself over onto the trapdoor, which promptly began to tip down, and Sam did a pencil dive into the water.

/The Winds were Moaning in the Night/

Sam broke the surface of the water, gasping, eyes wide, her teeth already chattering from the cold, her muscles shivering, her hair now plastered to her face and head, looking like a drowned rat.

"Oh, my God! That's fricking cold!" Sam floundered for a moment, taking hold of the rock wall, bracing her foot against the portion of it below the surface of the water, taking a moment to push her hair out of her face and get her bearings, looking around the giant cavern, momentarily amazed by the natural beauty of it, before spotting the dwarves and swimming over to them.

The dwarves were all looking at Sam expectantly, looking for proof that she was, indeed, the best swimmer of the Company, which she did prove when, after spotting them, Sam gave a powerful push off the wall of the cavern and, very quickly, much quicker than any of them would have managed, even when not covered in sopping wet clothes, Bilbo looking very impressed by her ability to swim, and how naturally Sam did it, surfaced right next to Ori's barrel after having dolphin kicked her way over to them underwater, coming up bright eyed and smiling, even as she shivered a bit.

"Hi, guys." Sam pushed her hair out of her face again as they all just looked at her, sitting in their barrels, a little wet, cold, and miserable, in contrast to Sam, who looked perfectly content in the water, despite how cold it was, a bit surprised by just how at home she looked, floating like she was, and wondering what it the world she was doing that kept her head above water while she looked like she was sitting below the water's surface (this is called egg beatering in waterpolo).

"Huh, whaddya know, she is a fish."

Sam smiled at Fili, he and Kili looking at her, both bemused and impressed by her apparent skill, his comment not offending her in the least," Yep, that's me, Sam the fish." She smiled brightly at them all.

That had the Company chuckling, relaxing slightly now that they were sure that Sam wouldn't drown in the water, Bilbo shaking his head and rolling his eyes at their lass and her characteristic flippantness, the movement of his head making Bofur do the same, as he had been resting his chin on the hobbit's head as they were floating there in the water.

The sight of Bilbo and Bofur made Sam giggle, causing the rest of the Company to start chuckling as well when they noticed Bilbo and Bofur shaking their heads in tandem, Thorin rolling his eyes dramatically with a small smirk, Bilbo looking slightly annoyed by Bofur's antics, even as said dwarf smiled a wide and ornery grin, perfectly content to annoy the hobbit standing on his boots before they both got soaked and really had a reason to be annoyed.

Oin just ignored them all, still concerned by the thought of leaving Sam in the ice cold water, taking in her slight shivering as his sharp eyes raked over her partially submerged form," Are you sure you're alright Sam? That water is snow melt, and is almost as cold as the snow it once was."

Sam sighed, looking at the healer, sighing, answering with slight exasperation," I'm fine, Oin, really I am." Oin raised an eyebrow at her, unconvinced, the others, while now sure of her ability to swim, were now concerned about how she would deal with the cold water, especially given how thin she was, even knowing that the cold might just help her many bruises. Sam sighed again," I am fine Oin, I'm just really cold, but that will change when we get movin' cause then my muscles will warm up a bit from the effort."

Oin only nodded slightly, but still gave Thorin a look that said,' Do something.'

Thorin nodded slightly back at Oin, taking the hint, then said," All the same, Sam, we do not want you getting hurt more than you already are, especially since we do not know exactly how far we are going to need to go down this river, nor how long it will take, so, to preserve your strength and keep safe, I want you to hold onto someone's barrel unless it is absolutely necessary for you to let go, alright?"

Sam nodded and grinned cheekily at Thorin," Why do you think I'm right next to Ori? I'm gonna hang onto his barrel for the wilder parts of this ride."

Oin and Thorin nodded at that, glad she hadn't been planning on trying to swim the whole way, and that she hadn't fought them on the order, stubborn and obstinate woman that she was.

Ori looked down at his friend floating next to his barrel, curious," Not that I mind, but why my barrel specifically?"

Sam shrugged up at Ori, some of the others wondering the same thing as they floated, waiting for Thorin to give the order to let go and float on," Because, you're light enough that you might tip over if there are any bad rapids, so, with my weight to counterbalance your's as we get thrown about, you probably won't tip and I will be able to stay on your barrel pretty easily."

Ori nodded, a grateful smile on his face, as he was not a strong swimmer, his brothers glad Sam had thought about that, as it had not occurred to either of them that their younger, lighter brother might tip into the water.

Kili cocked his head to the side as Fili raised an eyebrow," By that logic, won't Fili and I also need to be kept from tipping over?"

Grumbles of agreement were heard as Sam answered," Yeah, but I figure you two can keep each other from tipping over, especially since everyone else," she looked around at the rest of the Company, her expression telling them she knew something they didn't, who were now looking at her expectantly, all of them having grown used to her picking up on things none of them, even Balin, had somehow missed," will be having trouble keeping water out of their own barrels, since their weight makes them all sit lower in, and closer to, the water."

The dwarves, sans the youngest three, were now looking at their barrels more closely, realizing they were, indeed, all sitting low enough in the water that it would easily splash in, regardless of whether the water was rough or not.

"Damn, she's righ'." Dwalin sighed a resigned sigh," I guess we'll all be gettin' a col' bath then, won't we?"

A chorus of groans was heard, no one wanting to get wetter or colder than they already were.

Bilbo was now concerned, as his head was very close to the top of the barrel and the water line, the hobbit not liking the idea of getting water in his face constantly, especially since he could barely swim and was more than a little afraid of the water.

Bofur noticed Bilbo's distress and promptly pulled him up a little higher on his boots and clamped his arm a little tighter around his middle, the hobbit looking up at him gratefully, and rather scared, Bofur smiling again to try and comfort his friend.

"Alright, now that we have everything cleared up and everyone is ready to go," everyone looked at Thorin as he looked at their lass expectantly, Sam getting a grip on Ori's barrel as Ori got a grip on Sam's upper arms to make sure she didn't get knocked off, the two friends giving each other apprehensive smiles as Thorin gave them both an approving nod and continued," let us go."

With that Thorin let go of the wall of the cavern, and was swept away, the rest of the Company soon following.

/The Fire Was Red, It Flaming Spread/

The entire Company was drenched after they went down the waterfall, all coming out of the white water sputtering and spitting out water, cursing as they tried to whip their wet hair out of their faces, Bofur somehow managing to keep his hat on, Nori's beard almost completely undone, making the usually very kempt dwarf look almost unrecognizable.

Sam just looked at Ori as they bobbed up out of the water, the dwarf now as wet as she was, looking decidedly uncomfortable with the entire situation," This is gonna be a wild ride, especially if there are anymore waterfalls."

Ori could only nod, wide eyed," No kidding. Oh, I am not looking forward to this." The young dwarf looked like he was going to be sick, slightly green from the movement of the water or nerves Sam didn't know.

"It will be fine, Ori, you'll see. We'll be at the mountain in no time." Sam smiled comfortingly as she looked around at the rest of the Company, finding them all to be fine, if now a little grumpy.

The duo and everyone else turned as they heard an elvish horn, seeing Legolas on a high platform a ways away from then, making his way down stairs, no doubt coming for them.

Bilbo had hoped it would take longer for them all to notice their prisoners were gone, but, apparently, they had noticed almost immediately.

The Company saw elven soldiers on the wall their were fast approaching, one of them shutting the gate that went across the river as a result of the horn.

They all floated into the area under the wall, the elves not quite doing anything yet besides watching them and waiting for others to show up to help them apprehend them, Gloin keeping Sam from getting squished between the barrels by keeping them at arms length around her, even as they all began to look for a way through the gate banging on it and rattling the bars, the elves about ready to pounce on them from above, but then the orcs attacked, killing one elf after another, shooting arrows as they came over the ridge near the river and the wall itself, some brandishing swords and axes when they got close enough for combat.

The elven soldiers were soon dead as a result of the orc onslaught, none having been prepared for a small army of orcs attacking an elven city, more elves pouring onto the scene as more orcs did the same, but the orcs weren't targeting the elves, they were after the dwarves.

The dark creatures began to jump into the water, hacking and slashing at the Company, trying to kill them while they were cornered, but the Company of Thorin Oakenshield would not be killed so easily.

Dwalin, Nori, Dori, Thorin, Bifur, and Fili quickly had several of the ocrs disarmed and dead, tossing weapons to their fellows, Bilbo taking out Sting, as they continued to fight off the orcs.

Kili, however, was eyeing the lever that would open the gate, the one thing standing between them all and freedom, possibly even safety, so, instead of fighting the orcs, he got out of his barrel and began hopping on the edges of the rims of the other barrels, eventually jumping on the stone stairs of the elven wall, catching his balance after a moment, almost immediately being attacked by orcs, Dwalin throwing the prince a sword, which Kili promptly used to kill two orcs.

Sam saw what Kili was going to do and decided to cover him, so she dived down below the barrels, coming up on the opposite side of the waterway, Fili stabbing an orc that got too close to her as she pulled herself up onto the bank, unsure how she was going to deal with the orcs, just knowing she needed to help Kili and keep the orcs away, as best she could, so he could reach his goal, pull the lever, and open the gate.

"Sam, catch!"

Sam turned around in time to catch two elven daggers that Nori tossed at her, recognizing them, in the back of her mind, as those the elves in the cellar had in their belts earlier, not stopping to think about it further as she began to attack the orcs in earnest, twirling, ducking, dodging, and rolling, killing orcs left and right as she made her way towards the lever that would open the gate and get them all away from the orcs and the elves both.

Fili threw an axe at one of the two orcs attacking his brother on the platform at the top of the stairs as the younger dwarf beheaded the other orc with his commandeered sword, making his way, steadily, toward the lever, fighting more orcs as he went, noting that Sam was keeping even more orcs from coming towards him from the other side of the bank, making him push harder to get them all out of there quicker.

The rest of the Company was continuing to fight the onslaught of orcs that were falling into the water or that were pouncing on them, all of them having weapons now, Bilbo had even managed to stab a few orcs, popping out of the barrel like a whack-a-mole to stab them through the gut when they were dumb enough to lean over his and Bofur's barrel.

Sam, meanwhile, had just killed an orc with an upward thrust into the torso, piercing it's heart with one dagger, when she saw an orc with a lot of metal on its head kill an elf by crushing the poor guy's skull.

This was the commanding orc, as he was the one who had shouted orders at the other orcs when they had all still been on top of the ridge, the creature catching sight of Kili as he was almost at the lever, the beast smiling cruelly, taking out his bow and arrow, aiming it right at the prince, but he had not been paying attention to his surroundings, making the worst mistake any fighter could make, getting cocky and not being aware of their surroundings.

Sam cut the head off the arrow as she attacked from the side, pivoting on her left foot to shove the blade of her dagger into the temple of the commanding orc, cutting the bowstring with her other dagger as she came back around so what was left of the arrow shaft wouldn't hurt Kili, who had just gotten to the lever and was in the process of pulling it.

Sam ripped her dagger out of the skull of the dead orc, nodding to Tauriel as she shot the orc that had been about to attack Sam through the skull, the flame haired she-elf staring at the former prisoner for a moment, not sure what to make of her sudden transformation from an almost non-responsive and suffering prisoner to a fierce warrior as Sam shoved both of her daggers into her boots, and jumped back in the water just as Kili jumped back into his barrel, Tauriel shooting the orc that had been about to pounce on the young dwarf, Fili killing it with an axe as it fell in the water near where he was keeping both his and his brother's barrels from floating away.

Tauriel took note of how the young, blonde dwarf seemed unwilling to go anywhere without Sam or Kili, their loyalty and care for each other prompting her to shoot any orcs that got to close to them as the two dwarves began to float way, keeping their human friend close, the she-elf not even bothering to try to stop them, far too preoccupied with the orcs, and her curiosity about the odd group, whom, she had noticed, now had what looked like a hobbit with them, to care, the protection of her home and her fellows more pressing at the moment, even as the orcs began to leave, following the dwarves, the second in command of their group taking charge.

The younger prince grabbed Sam and secured her to his barrel, his arms around her as he curled his shoulders and head over Sam's head, trying to protect her from the arrows that were still raining down on them as they floated through the gate, Fili keeping their barrels from floating apart and from squishing Sam as the Company flowed further down the river, still pursued by orcs.

Legolas, who had been watching Tauriel's back as she protected the dwarves and human, just as confused by their odd behavior as she was, their loyalty and apparent care for their human, and hobbit, companion going against everything he had ever been taught was true of dwarves and their treatment of other races, although the prince was heartened to discover the woman was seemingly fine, despite the way she had been acting, the prince and Tauriel watching the dwarves and their companions as they drifted away for a moment, neither having any clue why the orcs were pursuing the group so doggedly, but the two elves were not about to let the foul creatures achieve their goal, whatever it was, because, no matter how much they disliked the dwarves and wanted to stop them from awakening Smaug, and to learn more about them now that they realized they had been wrong about many things in regard to them so far, they hated orcs, and the orcs would die before they ever got the chance to hurt anyone, regardless of who they were, because, despite the fact that Thranduil would disapprove, Legolas nor Tauriel could not, in good conscience, allow the orcs to move unfettered through the forest, regardless of the fact that they would soon be beyond their borders and, according to the king, no longer their concern.

/The Trees like Torches Blazed with Light/

The Company flowed down the river, getting repeatedly dunked in the rapids, thrown around by the current, their barrels becoming pincushions of orcish arrows, Sam somehow managing to avoid getting hit, even as she nearly lost her grip of Kili's barrel a few times, her plan to stay with Ori completely shot.

They orcs continued to pursue them, even as elves continued to shoot the creatures, the dwarves using their newly acquired weapons to attack the creatures as best they could, whacking them when they got close enough to the banks or when they stood on one of the many logs lying across the river,Thorin throwing an axe at an orc about to attack Balin, pinning it to a log and taking it's long mace.

Thorin passed the mace back to Dwalin, who called," Nori!" passing the weapon to the thief, who then proceeded to toss it to Fili, the young dwarf promptly knocking an orc on the bank off it's feet before crushing it's skull.

Sam lost her grip of Kili's barrel as Kili lost his grip on her, the others not noticing as they were otherwise occupied, all the tossing around too much, too fast, the prince calling for her as she disappeared beneath the rapids, her head invisible beneath the whitewater," Sam! Sam!"

Kili looked around frantically, looking for some trace of her as he continued to be thrown around in the rapids, seeing nothing, his heart going cold with fear for his friend.

Sam had been drawn down by the current of the river as soon as she had lost her grip of the barrel, the only thing keeping her from being pulled under to begin with, she was being dragged along the bottom of the river, being flipped and turned in such a way that she didn't know which way was up.

Kili, while he was confident in Sam's ability to swim, was terrified that she wouldn't be able to surface, her injuries and exhaustion preventing her from getting free from the undercurrent of the river, the idea of her drowning or passing out under the water with none of them able to get to her, or even see her, making him begin to panic, calling for her more frantically, all the while avoiding getting shot by orcs, occasionally hitting one with his sword, as he realized that she might already be lost to them, it entirely possible that her head had been smashed against the rocks of the riverbed, or stuck under a submerged log, the number of things that could have gone wrong and prevented her from surfacing mounting as the seconds ticked by since she had been lost to the river.

Fili heard his brother calling for Sam, realizing that he couldn't see her anywhere, that she wasn't attached to Kili's barrel, Fili looked at his brother, seeing the mounting panic in his eyes," Fili! She got pulled under and she hasn't come up yet! I can't find her!"

Fili's eyes were as wide as his brother's now as he began to look around frantically for Sam himself, his own cries for their lass joining Kili's, the other members of the Company finally hearing them, horror dawning on their faces as they realized that Sam was nowhere to be seen.

But they could do nothing, the helplessness they felt in this situation, so much like they had felt earlier that day (was it really just this morning?) when Sam and Thorin had still been stuck in the depths of Mirkwood, far from all of those who cared for them, apparent on all of their faces and in their eyes as they looked around, at a loss, they were stuck in their barrels and they were being attacked by orcs and, even if they could get out of their barrels and try to find her, they would probably drown in minutes, or meet their fate while at the mercy of the undertow, Sam's assessment of none of them being strong swimmers being entirely true.

All the dwarves could do was keep fighting, and pray for her, that she was alright and would surface soon, that, after all they had been though, after just having escaped imprisonment, they would not lose Sam to a watery grave.

Their prayers were soon answered as Sam suddenly popped up out of the water, relief showing on the faces of the dwarves, despite the sight of their lass sputtering and gasping for breath, completely disoriented as she tried to stay above the water, the orcs taking notice, and aim, planning on killing the human while she was in distress.

The orcs, however, were not counting on a bunch of enraged dwarves suddenly bombarding them with weapons, many of then getting axes to the bead or torso before they could shoot Sam.

Bifur clobbered one orc in the head with a mace before he managed to grab hold of one of Sam's flailing arms, pulling her to his barrel and hooking his arms under hers to pull her slightly above the water, the older dwarf cradling her head to his shoulder, giving her the chance to catch her breath without fear of being pulled under again as they continued to be buffeted and thrown around, Sam wrapping her arms around his shoulders, intent on not being pulled into the water again, Bifur pulling her more tightly to him when she mumbled, coughing a bit as she rested her forehead on his shoulder," Thanks for the save, Bif'."

The Company rallied when they saw Bifur holding Sam, glad she was safe and that Bifur did not seem inclined to let her go anytime soon, all of them simultaneously endeavoring to keep the orcs far away from the two, Kili managing to get his sword stuck in the skull of an orc that had been about to pounce on Bifur and Sam as they went under a log, Fili piercing another one on the log through the heart with a spear.

Thorin, Dwalin, and Gloin cut the same log in half, hacking at it with axes as they went under it, sending all of the orcs that had been standing on it, trying to stab the Company with spears and swords, into the water.

Dwalin threw his axe to Bombur just as an orc was about to stab him with a spear, killing the orc, but managing to catapult the rotund dwarf onto the shore, where he proceeded to flatten a large portion of the orcs following them as he rolled on the bank, coming to stand on a rock where he, wielding two axes now, cut down some more orcs before jumping back into his barrel, tossing the axes to Nori and Dwalin, so he didn't get left behind.

It was at this point that Legolas started standing one the heads of the dwarves, hopping and dancing around on their skulls as needed to afford him the best shot of the orcs on the shore, though he carefully avoided Bifur and Sam, Bifur because of the axe in his head and Sam because he was sure if he stood on her head he might just hurt her neck, or send them both into the raging river.

Legolas also noted how the damaged dwarf and the human were watching him, as best they could given the situation, both slightly amused and annoyed at his actions, the dwarf more annoyed than amused as the human seemed to be the opposite, she even seemed to be grateful that he was shooting at the orcs rather than at the dwarves, nodding at him in thanks, her eyes so much more full of life than he had ever seen them, even as she cringed at the sight of him standing on poor Dori's head, all of his weight on the dwarf as he stood on one foot.

Legolas then jumped back onto the shore, killing orcs as he went, always keeping the dwarves in his sights, which was part of the reason that an orc was able to sneak up behind him, though it was promptly taken care of when Thorin threw an axe at it, saving the elven prince's life.

Legolas stood on a rock ledge, staring after the dwarves, not quite believing Thorin Oakenshield had just saved him, the surviving orcs still following them, when Tauriel did the same a moment later, shooting an arrow out of the air and then quickly subduing the responsible orc, about to cut off his head when he said," Wait, Tauriel, we will take this one alive, and see what he knows."

The prince narrowed his eyes at the orc as the Captain nodded, both wanting to know why the orcs were following the dwarves, not quite wanting to abandon the orcs to wander, but knowing that the king would want to question the orc, see what the creature knew about Oakenshield's quest.

/The Dwarves of Yore Made Mighty Spells/

"Are we still followed?"

Gloin, in the barrel at the back of their bunch, looked around at Thorin's question, seeing no sign of their pursuers," Not that I can see!"

Bofur and Bilbo were both spitting out water as they continued floating along, Bofur taking a look around himself," We must 'ave outrun the orcs." Bofur then looked down at the soaked hobbit who was still standing on his boots, poor Bilbo shivering something fierce, despite the large amount of body heat the dwarf was giving off.

"Not for long, we've lost the current. Get to shore!"

Everyone followed their leader's order, leaning over in their barrels to paddle toward the sandy beach and rocks coming up on their right, some of them grabbing onto another's barrel to keep them all together.

Bifur let go of Sam so she could get out of the water before they all started bumping into the rocks, the soaked and freezing woman paddling to shore, then walking up the bank to sit on a rock, rubbing her arms and shivering the entire way, watching her friends as they tipped their barrels over on the beach, as she was too tired and cold at the moment to be of much help to them, some able to get out with little issue while other's needed aide in escaping their barrels, Bombur being pulled out by Dori and Bofur as Dwalin helped Ori out of his barrel.

Nori stood on Sam's rock, surveying the area before he jumped off to go check on his brothers, but not before giving Sam a cursory once over, the woman giving him a small smile, despite her shivering, the middle Ri brother taking it as a sign that she was alright, as she did not seem injured or freaked out by her underwater disappearance, but he was still going to keep an eye on her, as she had been through far too much lately to be completely fine, no matter what she said or how she acted.

Kili and Fili helped Oin, Gloin, and Balin out of their barrels, Bifur and Thorin managing to get out of their own barrels without aide.

Balin and Gloin went to rest, Thorin and Bifur looking around as Dwalin made his way over to his brother, though all of them smiled as Oin went to check on Sam, who just tried to bat his hands away, Fili and Kili standing close by, making sure themselves that Sam was ok, but Oin was having none of it, catching Sam's forearms to look at her wrists, poking her shoulder, seeing if she had a fever, or anything else that might be wrong, but he found she just looked pale and cold, something that would need to be remedied soon, as she could get hypothermia if not gotten warm clothes and food by the end of the day.

"Oin, stop fussing, please, I'm ok for now." Sam was looking at him a little pleadingly, the poor lass just wanting to sit in peace for a few moments before anything else crazy happened.

Oin sighed, having learned to read her over the course of their journey, understanding she just needed a little time to collect herself," Alright, lass, but I'm not done with you yet." The old healer waggled a finger at her playfully, drawing a smile and small giggle from Sam before he went to join his brother, who only smiled at Oin, then at Sam, the healer noticing that no one seemed to be in dire need of his help, as little as he could provide without any of their supplies, which, along with their weapons, were still in Mirkwood.

Bofur and Dori finally got Bombur out of his barrel, helping the round dwarf up and then all three Broadbeams went to sit on some of the rocks as Dori meandered over to his brothers to check on them, though both seemed to be fine, Ori taking off his boots with a wet squelching noise and Nori just looking annoyed as he attempted to get some of the knots out of his beard, the trio of Broadbeams catching their breath as they watched their friends, all glad to be alive and well, Bombur commending Bifur for keeping a hold of Sam for the remainder of their river ride, Bofur plopping down next to Bilbo.

"Ya' alrigh' there Bilbo? Tha' was qui' the wil' tumble we took dow' tha' river."

The hobbit sat for a moment, taking stock of himself before he answered," I'm fine, water logged and cold, but fine nonetheless, though I have been better."

Bofur only smiled at his friend, clapping the hobbit on the back," Goo' ta' hear, my frien'. Hopefully we'll be gettin' movin' soon an' we can all warm up."

Bilbo nodded at Bofur, watching as Sam walked over into the middle of their group, looking around at their Company, assessing if everyone was alright, just as Oin had," Well, we certainly look like a bunch of drowned rats, now don't we?"

Sam was smiling slightly, trying to brighten everybody's moods, succeeding as they all looked at each other and started chuckling when they realized what messes they looked like, all of their hair out of their braids, the only ones looking remotely like their normal selves were those with the least complicated hair, which were the Durins and the sons of Fundin, everyone else looking like bedraggled bums.

Thorin, however, was not chuckling, he was looking around, not at all convinced they had lost the orc pack," We need to keep moving, two more minutes and then we leave."

The Company immediately stopped smiling, the seriousness and worry on Thorin's face sobering them all, all of them nodding at their leader, but Balin could only shake his head as he asked, looking at Thorin expectantly," And where will we go?"

Bilbo now looked confused at the old dwarf," To the mountain, where else?"

Balin turned to glance at Bilbo as Thorin continued to look around, trying to find an answer to Balin's question, as he didn't have an answer himself," There is a lake between us and the mountain, Bilbo, and we've no way to cross it."

Bilbo still didn't understand Balin's worry," So we go 'round."

Balin shook his head again as Dwalin walked over to him after having a low, short conversation with Thorin," It's not that simple laddie."

The younger son of Fundin cut in," The orcs will run us down as sure as daylight, with naught but a few elvish daggers," Dwalin nodded at Nori and Sam, both of whom had managed to keep hold of two daggers each," to protect ourselves."

The Company then proceeded to ready to leave again, Dwalin sitting on a rock for a few moments, shaking his head with a small smile as he watched Ori dump all the water out of his boots, but he stopped when the young dwarf stilled and slowly began turning his head, the warrior jumping up as he turned around, brandishing a branch as his only weapon, when Ori's eyes went wide and he took on a scared expression.

Dwalin found himself looking at a man with a bow, aiming an arrow at the youngest Ri brother, both Dwalin and Ori going still, neither wanting to make a move as they were not sure what the man would do, or if he was even a threat.

The rest of the Company noticed their new visitor moments later, Kili picking up a stone, readying to throw it, if the human turned out to be a threat, though he never got the chance as the human shot an arrow into Dwalin's branch and shot the stone right out of Kili's hand, all of the dwarves going still as Sam stood off to the left of the bowman, the other human not having noticed her presence.

"Do it again, and you're dead."

The man stood on top of the rock, ready to shoot, surveying their group, still not noticing Sam as she looked at him, a considering look on her face, as Balin noticed the barge just behind him, an idea popping into his head," Excuse me, but, uh, you're from Laketown, if I am not mistaken," the old dwarf slowly picked his way slightly closer to the man, hands raised to show he meant no harm, the bowman lowering his arrow slightly," now, that barge over there, it wouldn't happen to be for hire, would it?"

Balin was looking up at the man, who seemed to be thinking, the old dwarf attempting to look a little charming, hoping they could do business with this man to get them across the lake and get weapons.

The man lowered his arrow a little more, but he still didn't look very happy," What makes you think I would help you?"

"Because we can pay you, and, surely, helping a group of weary travelers would not be too much kindness to ask of a man of Laketown?"

The man startled at Sam's voice, quickly turning in her direction, his bow raised, not having expected a woman to be in the company of a bunch of dwarves, but, as he looked at her, taking in how thin and pale she was, how she was shivering, he ignored her words and turned, his eyes hardening as he once again pointed his arrow at the dwarves, specifically Balin, who took a step back, his eyes wider than they had been moments ago, the bowman more than ready to shoot," What have you done to this woman?"

His eyes darted around to the faces of the dwarves, and hobbit, all of them startled by the question and the animosity in his voice, though they probably shouldn't be, as normal as Sam being with them had become for them, a human woman traveling with a group of dwarves, or males in general, was a suspicious oddity to anyone else.

The human growled when no answer was forthcoming," Well? What have you lot done to cause her to be in such a state?"

Sam blinked, recovering from her slight shock at his reaction to her presence, and appearance, and she promptly hopped over the rocks and stood in front of Balin protectively, her arms crossed, though she carefully schooled her expression to be non-threatening or challenging, wanting to earn his sympathy for the Company, not his ire, the bowman now dropping his arms completely as he stared at her in confusion, not understanding why the woman, who he assumed had been somehow wronged by the dwarves, was now putting herself between the dwarf and a possible threat, the protectiveness in her stance throwing him for a loop.

"My 'state,' as you put it, is not a result of any action taken by these dwarves, but it is a result of actions taken by elves and orcs, orcs that are still following us and could do us all harm if we do not go quickly, so Master...," Sam paused, realizing she didn't know the man's name, though she could guess at it, the man now having narrowed his eyes at her as he realized she was with the dwarves, if the way the older dwarf was peeking out around her elbow, attempting to move her behind him to protect her as she was trying to protect him, the bowman assessing whether or not she was telling the truth, trying to decide whether he should trust the odd woman's, as she could be nothing else if she traveled willingly with dwarves, words and aide them in their escape from orcs (why would elves do her harm?), as he would not abandon them to that fate, as unarmed as they obviously were, his dislike of dwarves not enough for him to want them to come to harm, besides, he had a feeling that the woman was telling the truth, her eyes said as much, and that, should he refuse the dwarves aide, and offer it to her, she would turn him down, and he could not leave a lady to orcs, no matter what, although he did want more information before he truly committed to sticking his neck out for the odd group, the bowman coming back to himself, having already made a decision to help them, when the woman asked him," forgive me for not asking sooner, but, what is your name? I am Sam, by the way."

The woman gave him a slight bow as he inclined his head toward her," I am Bard of Laketown."

"Alright then, Master Bard of Laketown," she smiled slightly at Bard, the bowman relaxing a bit," we are being pursued by orcs, we have lost all of our supplies and weapons, we are tired, cold, and in dire need of a warm place to rest. I would hope that, given we are more than willing to compensate you for your time and service, you would be so kind as to provide us transportation to Laketown, as well as supplies, food, and weapons."

"I am afraid, Miss Sam, that won't be possible, as no one enters Laketown without the consent of the Master," Bard now walked over to the barrels the Company had rode in, running his hand over the damage done by the orcish arrows," and the Master would not allow anyone into Laketown who has earned the ire of King Thranduil, as you seem to have done, because his trade with the elven king is what keeps his coffers full, something he holds most dear."

Bard looked around at the dwarves and the hobbit, noticing how they were shifting about and looking nervously between themselves, mumbling, but the woman's eyes hardened, an angry spark entering the previously placid green depths.

"We earned his ire through no fault of our own."

The righteous anger in her voice immediately quieted the dwarves and hobbit, all of them looking at her with a mixture of their own anger, guilt, and worry, the mix of emotions on their faces making Bard all the more curious, even as Sam's voice and the grim line her smile had become put him more on edge, the bargeman eyeing her carefully, unsure what to make of her reaction," How do you mean miss?"

Sam closed her eyes, visibly calming, the tenseness of her shoulders leaving and the friendly expression coming back onto her face as she reopened her eyes, the sentiment not quite back in the jade green orbs, the angry fire still there, though it dulled more when the old dwarf still standing behind her laid a hand on her elbow, apparently concerned, the reaction not something that Bard would have expected from any of the dwarves, Sam patting Balin's hand to communicate she was alright before she answered Bard's question," We have been imprisoned in Thranduil's dungeons for the past three weeks for doing naught but be a party mostly consisting of dwarves, our misfortune to be lost in Mirkwood only damning us more in his eyes."

Bard stared at the woman, unsure what to make of this information, as he had met the elves before and found them quite agreeable, if a little snooty, but, then again, he was not a dwarf, and he knew the elves of Mirkwood loathed no other race but orcs more than dwarves, and he found himself growing uneasy at the idea of the elves imprisoning them all, especially Sam, for almost no reason at all, Bard looking at them all with more sympathy that he had previously, realizing that none of them looked particularly well, as soaked, cold, and exhausted as they obviously were.

"The elves of Mirkwood, let us suffice it to say, do not treat their prisoners kindly, and were are all worse for wear for their treatment." Bard understood what she was trying to say, even if she did not outright say they were tortured in some fashion, the reactions of the dwarves behind her enough of an indication, that apparently the source of their guilt and worry for the young woman, who Bard now realized was stronger than she had initially seemed, the fact that she was standing bravely before him after such an experience gaining his respect, and the dwarves his sympathy.

Sam sighed, looking older than she should," The elves of Mirkwood are why we now stand before you, looking like drowned rats, without any means of protecting ourselves and completely devoid of supplies. I realize, Master Bard, that earning the ire of the Master of Laketown is likely in neither your, nor our, best interests, but we are left with little choice in the matter, either we somehow get to Laketown and acquire what we need, or we are doomed to death by orcs."

Sam looked at Bard then, searching his eyes for, and finding, sympathy and compassion. Sam had always believed that honesty was the best policy, especially when looking for help from others, as trust given was often trust gained, and she hoped she had just managed to gain them a little from Bard, enough to convince him to help them, as he was their only chance at survival and the success of they quest at the moment, Sam unable to see any other way out of their situation.

Bard looked to be considering something as Sam continued," Now, don't take this the wrong way Master Bard, but I am sure there are ways of getting into Laketown without the Master's knowledge and, as I have already said, we are more than willing to pay for your aide in getting what we need. So, what say you Master Bard? Are we to be prey for the orcs or secret guests of Laketown?"

Sam looked at Bard pointedly as the dwarves looked between the two humans, again impressed by Sam's pluck and ability to earn the sympathy of others in their favor, though they did not like that Sam had told him, at least part of, the truth, as they would have preferred he be kept in the dark, but, it looked like her honesty, and the sympathy it cultivated, would be enough to gain the bargeman's aide, something they all desperately needed at the moment.

Bard looked to have made a decision when he, at last, spoke," I will help you, but on two conditions," the dwarves looked displeased, but not unwilling, given they would be stranded and doomed otherwise, Sam only nodding, not having expected a free lunch, so to speak, as Bard had a family to worry about and his family would always come first, something none of them would fault him for, and any information Bard asked for, or money he needed (that they could pay), would be given, hopefully, with minimal fuss," one, I want to know where you are from and what you are doing here," Sam should have expected that question, but did not know what to tell him, the woman hoping that Balin would have something up his sleeve," and two, I need sixty gold pieces to smuggle you into Laketown and provide the supplies you will need."

Now the dwarves looked very displeased, beginning to mumble discontentedly among themselves before a glare from Sam shut them all up, the fact that they were all cowed by the woman greatly amusing Bard, though he did not show it.

Sam spoke again, nodding at him," Alright, Master Bard, you will have your gold, but might I ask you a question?"

Bard cocked his head to the side, the dwarves wondering what their lass was doing now, all of them annoyed at the steep price, but they could do nothing about it, as they needed Bard's help, not the other way around, and attempting to haggle with him might only cause them to lose his offer of aide," Yes, you may."

"Do you need the sixty gold pieces to bribe guards and what not to let us in, in whatever way you devise, and to purchase the supplies that we need, or are they the price for your aide only and we will need to provide additional gold for bribing and buying the supplies?"

Balin found himself wondering why he didn't ask that question, the other dwarves now eager to know the answer, especially considering they did not have all that much gold with them, the sixty gold pieces likely going to be the last of their money as it was, which meant, if they needed more gold, that they were screwed.

Bard stared at Sam for a moment, realizing he had not elaborated enough already to have provided an answer to that question, and found it prudent in light of the situation," It is for everything, Miss Sam, I will need naught but your cooperation with my means of smuggling you in once I have the gold to use to your ends."

The dwarves were all nodding and beginning to look around in their pockets for gold, Sam subtly waving Bilbo off when he gestured at her, Fili and Kili, who had already given what gold they had to Balin, as little as it was, beginning to round up the barrels for Bard as he put one onto his barge, as that had apparently been what he was there for to begin with.

Bard stopped as he was about to lift another barrel, brought to him by Dwalin, whom had given the few coins he had managed to keep a hold of when the elves had searched them to Balin, the white haired dwarf having everyone give him their gold so he could count it out to give to Bard, Sam tossing a bag of gold to him, the old dwarf recognizing it as the same one that had been tossed to her on the first day of their journey when she had bet that Bilbo would come along," So are you going to tell me where you are from and what you are doing here or not?"

Bard looked at them all expectantly, Balin stepping forward," We are merchants of the Blue Mountains going to meet out kin in the Iron Hills."

Bard nodded, but had another question," But what are you doing with a human woman and a halfling in your party?"

Balin did not have an answer to that question, but Sam did," We are here because someone needed to keep this lot out of trouble," Sam smiled at her dwarves as they rolled their eyes at her, Bard further bemused by the lot, smiling slightly at her snark, but still curious, Sam, seeing his curiosity elaborated," the Shire is a quiet place and Bilbo wanted some adventure," she nodded at the hobbit who waved at Bard, the bargeman waving back," and I needed to get away from home, to leave the nest, so to speak."

Bard nodded at her explanation, a perfectly plausible, and mostly true, one as it was, and, soon, the dwarves, Bilbo, Sam and Bard were on their way to Laketown, Balin counting out the gold on the deck as they floated into the mist.

/The Lord of Silver Fountains/

Now we have met Bard, so what will happen next? (ooh, the suspense) ;)


	13. Chapter 13

Standard Disclaimers apply.

Enjoy!

/The King of Carven Stone/

Sam sat next to Balin, on a small crate, helping him to count out the gold, which stood in small stacks on the crate they were using as a table, they needed to give to Bard so they could get into Laketown unseen.

The rest of the Company stood, sat on crates, or leaned against the side of the barge, everyone shivering and cold, Bilbo rubbing his hands together and along his upper arms, trying to get warm, looking around at the broken structures they could barely see through the mist, at the broken ice floating on the water, all of them wondering what Bard had up his sleeve.

Bofur cried out as a structure looked like it was about to hit the barge, Bard swerving away from it a moment later.

The bargeman chuckled when Bofur looked back at him, wide eyed, the rest of the dwarves looking around in interest as they saw more and more structures, that, they realized, were the remains of structures destroyed by Smaug," Do not worry Master Dwarf, I am of stock born and bred on the waters of the Long Lake, I will not sink us or let any of you drown, so, please, enjoy the view while you still can, as we will need to hide you all away soon if I am to get you all into Laketown."

The Company was momentarily distracted from their sightseeing when they spotted the Lonely Mountain, all of them stood, entranced, until another structure blocked their view, all of them coming back to themselves and mumbling to each other, now excited by the sight of the mountain.

Balin glanced at Sam after looking over his shoulder to nod at Bard, their gold almost ready, a small smile on his face and a familiar twinkle in his eye as he spoke lowly," You did an excellent job of negotiating our passage back their, lass, few would have been able to gain the sympathy and willing aide of a stranger so quickly, especially when aiding us means committing a crime."

Balin's smile only widened when Sam gave him a small smile of her own, speaking just as quietly as she answered," It was nothing Balin, all I did was tell him the truth and give him the means by which to make an informed decision, and to accomplish what we asked of him, the rest was all Bard," Sam surveyed the Company for a moment, taking in the fact that they were all still alive and whole, despite everything they had been put through for the majority of the past month," he is truly a good man for helping us, and not just because he risks the wrath of the Master, but also because he risks that of Thranduil, should the pointy eared windbag ever find out he helped us."

Balin's smile disappeared, replaced by a chagrined expression," I had not though o' that, and you are right, but, all the same," his smile returned as patted Sam on the back," you are turning out to be all we had hoped you would be, and more, as a member of the Company, a far better negotiator than we could have guessed. I doubt our encounter with Bard would have gone as well as it did if it was I who had been negotiating, I never would have thought telling him the truth would earn us anything but trouble, and your presence seems to put a damper on the dislike of dwarves that we have encountered on this journey, your vouching for us doing more than our own actions or words probably ever would have," Balin leaned over and tapped his forehead to Sam's, earning himself a brighter smile from the young woman that he had gotten previously," we are truly lucky that Gandalf brought you to Bag End that night, Sam, thank you."

Sam bowed her head, slightly embarrassed by the praise," It was nothing Balin, really, it was the least I could do considering everything we've been through."

Balin's face fell, Sam cocking her head to the side, wondering what the matter was as the old dwarf gazed at her, regret clear on his face as he spoke, in a subdued tone," All we have been through, indeed," he shook his head, Sam sighing as she looked out across the water, realizing what he was referring to," more than you ever should have had to endure, Sam. We should have been able to protect you better than we did," the members of the Company that were listening to their conversation were nodding their heads, their shoulders drooping slightly at the reminder of how they had failed to keep Sam safe, though none of them added to the conversation, as they did not know what to say on either the subject of Sam being an excellent negotiator or their imprisonment, as they had all come to acknowledge that, despite all the things that had gone wrong, without Sam on their journey it would have been a much more difficult one, for a variety of reasons, ranging from her negotiating skills to the fact that she had kept Kili from being shot with an orcish arrow, something they had all noticed despite their preoccupation with their own foes, just hours ago, Balin, all of this in mind, took a gentle hold of Sam's chin so she would look at him again, a small smile appearing on his face, even as his eyes stayed regretful," and we shouldn't have let you swim in the damn river."

Sam snorted, giggling at bit at the reminder of how awfully that plan had gone, the sound taking the regret out of Balin's eyes, those who had been listening chuckling and shaking their heads at the less morbid, but still unpleasant, memory," All's well that ends well, Balin, we are all safe now, and that is what matters, so stop worrying, and stop apologizing."

Balin chuckled as Sam stuck out her tongue at him, trying to lighten the mood, Kili and Fili doing the same by imitating her from behind her back, Ori rolling his eyes from his seat next to the princes, even as he sketched the scene into his journal, somehow dry and the only thing the elves hadn't taken," Fine, fine, I will stop," Balin surveyed their stacks of gold," now, back to the task at hand, I do believe we have enough gold."

Balin turned to Bard," Master Bard, we have all the gold ready for you, now what do you need us to do?"

Bard nodded at Balin," Good, we are almost ready then. Master...Balin, was it?" Balin nodded and Bard continued," Master Balin, if you could put all of the gold in a pouch, please," Balin and Sam began to gather up the coins and drop them in a pouch, as requested," now if some of you would be so kind as to empty those two barrels," he nodded at the extra two barrels on the bow, Bofur and Bifur, who were closest, tipped them over, some rope and tools falling out," and now there are enough barrels for you all to hide in, so, if you please, hop in them and make sure your heads don't stick out."

Thorin tossed the pouch of gold to Bard for Balin before climbing back in a barrel, most of the Company grumbling about being stuck in them again, but doing as they were asked all the same.

"Master Bard," the bargeman looked to Sam," what should we expect to happen once we are all in the barrels?"

The Company popped the tops of their heads over the top of the barrels to hear his answer, looking like a bunch of meerkats, or prairie dogs, sticking their heads out of their holes," I apologize in advance, Miss Sam, but you will all be covered with fish, as that is the only way to prevent anyone from seeing you when we go through the gate."

Now there was a chorus of groans, Sam's eyebrow rising slightly at the prospect of being covered in fish as she put one leg into her barrel," Well, my friends, I guess we are all going to be in dire need of a bath after this little adventure, now won't we?"

Sam giggled, dropping down into her barrel, as she heard Fili mumble, muffled though it was," I hate fish."

/The King Beneath the Mountain/

The Company was soon running along the streets of Laketown, smelling of fish and covered in their scales, after having been unceremoniously dumped out of their barrels, only to find they would need to jump in the lake to actually enter Bard's house, as it was being watched by henchmen of the Master.

Sam, who was, once again, soaking wet and shivering, though, this time, from the icy water of the lake rather than the river that fed it, was helped up and out of the toilet of Bard's house by Bain, the only son of the bargeman, and she immediately followed Dwalin up the stairs, as it was drafty near the toilet and she wanted, needed to get warm.

Bilbo and Nori soon followed her up the stairs, the poor hobbit somewhat traumatized by the swim to the underside of the house, as he really didn't know how to swim at all, nearly sinking several times, which had resulted in Fili and Kili towing their burglar to the underside of the house and pushing him up through the toilet, Bain tugging him up.

Sam could only chuckle as Sigrid asked why there were dwarves coming out of the toilet, and little Tilda asked if they would bring them luck, Dwalin and Nori looking slightly affronted at the suggestion, Bofur only covering his mouth as he laughed, the perpetual merry twinkle in his eye being fanned from a spark to a flame by the little girl, who he realized he had no toys to give because all of their things were still in Mirkwood, but he could always entertain her in other ways, or even carve a simple toy for her while they were there.

The rest of the Company slowly came up the stairs, looking like drowned rats, again, only to find themselves wondering why Bofur and Sam were laughing while Dwalin and Nori were shaking their heads as Bard's daughters looked at them all, the elder looking at them askance as the younger one just looked awed, her youthful reaction drawing smiles from most of the dwarves, all of them glad to see that she was not frightened by their presence, as they all knew they did not look the most friendly or kind at the moment, as disheveled and miserable looking as they were, she wasn't even frightened by the sight of Bifur, though the axe did make Tilda's eyes get a little wider, the way the older dwarf's face lit up at the sight of her making Tilda instantly at ease, Bifur's own smile rewarded by a bright little grin from the girl.

Soon they were all wrapped in blankets, spare coats, and shirts, sipping hot tea, more than content to sit and rest for a spell before they did anything else.

Sam was sitting on the window seat with Fili, Kili, and Ori when Balin told Bilbo the tale of Girion, Lord of Dale, after he had noticed Thorin staring at the wind lance, all of the youngsters listening intently, as they had never heard the story before, so reticent had their elders been about the attack.

"Had the aim of men been true that day, much would have been different."

Sam glared at Thorin reproachfully, the king raising an eyebrow at her expression, not sure what he had done to earn it, Bard watching them as Sam spoke," Let us not forget why the dragon came to begin with, the men of Dale were not at fault that day, they did all they could in a nigh on hopeless situation."

Thorin glared back at Sam for that comment, his pride hurt by the truth in her statement, Fili, Kili, Ori, Bard, and the rest of the Company looking between the two, Bard and his family fearing the woman would ignite the dwarf's ire, whereas the Company, while slightly worried that sparks would fly, just wanted to see how long it would take for Thorin to admit she was right, like he had the last time he had said something unsupported out of anger, about Bilbo on the cliffs before Azog showed up, and it took only a few moments for Thorin to stop glaring at her and nod, looking back out the window, Sam shaking her head slightly and sighing at him, continuing to drink her tea as Fili and Kili laughed at the way she had managed to cow Thorin, the rest of the Company looking highly amused by Thorin's slightly chagrined expression.

Bard still did not know what to make of Sam and the dwarves, the mutual respect and care for each other more than apparent at this point, even the grumpy leader not arguing with her for the sake of pride, but he still had questions he wanted to ask," You talk as if you were there."

Thorin turned his head and regarded the bargeman calmly, saying," All dwarves know the tale."

Apparently the king did know how to be subtle, but apparently only when it suited him.

It was then Bain told of how Girion had loosed a scale on Smaug's breat, Dwalin dismissing the story as only a fairy tale, even as Sam spied the last of the black arrows hidden in the bundle of things hanging from the ceiling.

"Now, Bard, you promised us weapons?"

Thorin's question had the Company gathering around the table at the center of the room, looking at their host expectantly.

/Shall Come Into His Own/

As Bard went to get the weapons Thorin, Balin, Fili, and Kili discussed how much time they had until Durin's day, and that was only three days.

"What happens if we do not get to the mountain and find the door before then?"

Fili answered his brother's question, the younger price looking between Thorin and Balin," Then this whole quest will have been for nothing."

The slightly defeated tone in Fili's voice sounded completely wrong, as his voice had always had a comforting note to it, and it bothered Sam, reminding her too much of the nightmare she was not allowed to forget, the one that had haunted her every night since Beorn's, where Fili's voice had carried a similar tone in it, but as he died.

Sam stood next to the head of the table listening, simultaneously, to the conversation going on at the table, consisting of wondering how long it would take to get to the mountain, and between the royals and their loyal advisor, one interesting her more than the other.

Then Bard came in and dumped all of his homemade weapons on the table, Thorin picking up what looked like a harpoon, Dwalin just staring at the junk, not sure what it was supposed to be or why Bard had put it all on the table, and then he realized these were the weapons they had been promised.

Immediately there was a lot of discontented mumbling, the Company not sure what to make of these weapons, only that they were pieces of junk.

Nori and Sam shared a look that said,' I think I'll keep my daggers.' Both of them just as unimpressed by the amalgamation of metal sitting on the table as everyone else, Sam just staring at the pile of not quite identifiable objects as the thief picked up what looked to be some kind of flail, but the chain was rusted and they weren't quite sure what the end was made of, as it resembled a deformed cannon ball.

"We payed you for weapons, iron forged swords and axes, not," Gloin tossed down the repurposed smithy's hammer he was holding," whatever this junk is."

The rest of the Company threw down the poor excuses for weapons, not saying anything, despite how frustrated and anxious they were, as they knew whatever came out of their mouths at the moment would likely be too crude for the ears of the children, and Bard did not deserve all of their ire, after all, he was helping them, or trying at least, even if what he could provide them was not up to snuff.

"You will not find anything better outside of the armory of the city guard, where everything is under lock and key."

Bard was not happy about their discontent with what he had to offer, though he couldn't blame them, the weapons he had to offer were born of salvaged bits and pieces he had put together in case anything ever happened that would necessitate being armed, like an orc attack, but he had never guessed he would be giving them to a group of dwarves.

Bard stilled as Balin spoke, the name that fell from the old dwarf's lips one that rang bells, warning bells, in his head," Thorin, why don't we just take what is offered and go? We have all made do with less before, and we can do so again."

Thorin was looking at Balin, considering their options as Balin continued, a little louder," I say we take what is offered and available and go, soon if not right now."

"You can't," all of the dwarves' heads snapped to Bard, Sam just looking at the man as Bilbo looked between the dwarves and the man who had helped them, wondering if the statement was meant to sound as much like a threat as it did, something that, despite Bard's aide, they would not stand for, but they relaxed as he continued, realizing it was only a warning, one meant to aide them not deter them," this house and every dock or wharf in the town if being watched, you will need to wait for night fall if you insist on leaving tonight."

The dwarves all nodded at the sound advice, no one really wanting to know what the Master would do if they were found there, though Thorin, Dwalin, and Nori looked like they had some mischief, some goal, that they wanted to accomplish, despite the warning, even as everyone sat back down to rest and warm up before they left that night.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I just remembered an errand I forgot to run."

With that Bard left the house, standing at the railing outside the door, puzzling over where he had heard the name Thorin before, until he realized he had read it, and sped off toward the tapestry seller.

/And the Bells shall Ring in Gladness/

Thorin, Dwalin, Nori, and Balin huddled together, ignoring the looks they were getting from the others and the children, none noticing the way Sam was watching them, able to guess at their plans, having seen the way they looked at each other when Bard mentioned that proper weapons were in the armory.

The quartet nodded to each other and Thorin, Dwalin, and Nori moved in the direction of the door, only to find Sam standing in their way, her arms crossed and glaring down at them, a displeased scowl on her face.

"Sam, move."

Thorin glared at the young woman when she did not immediately follow his order, Dwalin and Nori motioning for her to get out of the way, annoyance and confusion entering their features when she continued to just stand there, glaring at them, Balin staring at them all, more than a little flabbergasted by this development, wondering just what Sam was doing and why, the others beginning to notice that the three were preparing to leave, not quite understanding why they needed to or why Sam was blocking their way, Fili and Kili eyeing their uncle skeptically as Ori and Dori looked at each other, it only taking a minute for them to figure out why Thorin and Dwalin would need to go somewhere with Nori right now while the Broadbeams, Bilbo, Oin, and Gloin just looked a bit confused, Bain taking up a stance behind their lass, his sisters standing out of the way, Sigrid not wanting any part of any of it and Tilda because Sigrid was holding her back, as he realized what the trio had been about to do, realization dawning on the faces of those who hadn't figured it out immediately.

Thorin's eyes flicked from Sam to Bain and back again, his expression becoming more thunderous," Sam, move, right now."

"No, Thorin."

The king's eyes narrowed as Dwalin and Nori looked at each other, not quite sure what to do, not wanting to bodily move Sam, afraid that they would hurt her, but knowing they needed to lest Thorin blow up, or Bard came back, destroying their chance of stealing weapons from the armory.

"I am not about to let you three go out and try to steal weapons from the armory," Thorin just glared as Nori prepared to say something, but was cut off as Sam continued speaking, all of them looking slightly less agitated as they learned the reason she was standing in their way," at least not in broad daylight. If you go out right now, while it's still light, you might only cause trouble for Bard and his family if the spies tell the Master that they are harboring people, let alone dwarves, illegally, not to mention you would be more likely to get caught now rather than later," Sam eyed Nori, wondering why he was even supporting doing this right now, the thief only shrugging, understanding her skepticism, Dwalin, Thorin, and Balin looking slightly chagrined as they remembered the amount of trouble they could cause for the children and their father, all three having forgotten, momentarily, that they were in Laketown illegally, that was why they were in Bard's house right now, after all, Sam's stance softening as she saw they were seeing her point, but still attempting to reason them out of this particular plan in favor of a later one," so why don't you just wait until, at least, nightfall to get the weapons? Then more of us could go, more of us that are quieter, at the very least," Dwalin and Thorin huffed as Nori smiled like a fox, all of them knowing that the king and the warrior were not terribly quiet, in most situations," and we could get in, get out, and get gone more quickly, ok? So whaddya say we wait?"

Thorin shook his head slightly, considering the logic in Sam's statement, and the fact he did not want to bring trouble to the bargeman and his children, no matter how...displeased he was with what they had been offered in way of weapons, the king looking at Balin, who simply sighed, nodding, the old dwarf unwilling to bring any trouble to the man that had helped them, waving off the rest of the Company who had been about to agree with Sam.

The toymakers, cook, hobbit, father, uncle, older brother, and youngsters had all stood up to help prevent Thorin, Dwalin, and Nori from leaving, the children their primary concern at the moment, none of them wanting to know, or be the cause of, what would happen to Bain, Tilda, and Sigrid if their father was thrown in jail, or worse, despite what little time they had left before Durin's day, and the fact they really did need the weapons, because you can't fight a dragon unarmed (well, you can, but that would be suicide).

Thorin took in his Company, the completely awful and tired looking group standing to stop them from leaving in daylight, unwilling to cause trouble for those who had not earned it, especially in light of what they would do in a few days time, the fact that the few hours until night fall would likely be their last chance to truly rest in a while not escaping him, and the king sighed, nodding his head," Fine, we wait until nightfall to get what we need, everyone get some rest while you still can."

/At the Mountain King's Return/

"Death! Death by dragon fire! That is what you will bring upon us Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror when you waken the sleeping beast within the mountain!"

Bard had stormed into the house, blocking the door, pointing at Thorin with an expression of abject rage, and terror, on his face.

The Company could only stare at Bard, a collective, 'Oh, shit." going through their minds, wondering how in the world Bard had figured out who Thorin was, the king himself surprised by Bard's entrance, though his face quickly turned just as thunderous as Bard's, knowing that, now that the bargeman knew who they were and what they were going to do, he would try to stop them, keep them from their goal, and Thorin was not about to let that happen.

"And you," Bard now pointed at Sam, a guilty expression on her face, the young woman having a good idea why Bard would be angry with her, now that he knew the truth," you know who they are and what they will bring upon this town, and still you convinced me to help you! With your words of torment at the hands of the elves! The hardships you had suffered! You lied to me and manipulated me, using my sympathy to your own ends!"

Now Thorin was really mad, the accusation of lying about all they had been through and the singling out of Sam, who had only been trying to protect them all, and who had been, just moments ago, trying to prevent them from doing something that might harm this man, out of gratitude and concern for his children, the woman having called him a good man just that morning, the king outraged at how Bard could turn on them so quickly, without so much as hearing them out, though he did not know what he could say to convince Bard they meant no harm, regardless of the fact they were going to wake a dragon that could be the end of them all.

The rest of the Company was just as agitated as Thorin, but they didn't know what to do, because Bard was right, they would bring destruction to Laketown, and they had, essentially, manipulated his sympathy, the honesty of their experience being used to their advantage, but, calling them all liars and accusing Sam of such things was not something they could abide by, so they all stood, ready to defend themselves and run, if necessary, glowering at the bargeman, but doing nothing else, just standing there, only slightly menacingly, not quite willing to scare Tilda, Bain, or Sigrid in their anger, though the three stood in the corner, watching them all wide eyed, the dwarves not sure what else they could do, as they still didn't want to hurt Bard, despite his words, and wanted no trouble for his children.

"Now you look here-"

"Bard, please, listen to me," Sam stood in front of Thorin now, one hand behind her to stop Thorin from speaking further, the other in front of her, palm out and raised, attempting to show that she meant no harm, but the bargeman only glared at her as she continued, guilt eating at Sam for what she had done, even knowing it was necessary, both for the success of their quest and for the sake of their lives," I know I manipulated you, I know I used your good heart against you, but I didn't lie to you, Bard, everything I said was true, we really did get imprisoned by the elves, we really have been through hell and back, and we really did need your help or else we would have died at the hands of the orcs and we are forever grateful for your help in saving our lives," Sam had both of her hands clasped in front of her now, looking up at Bard with beseeching eyes, trying to communicate the sincerity of her words, of how truly grateful they all were for his help, and how sorry she was, the bargeman's glare relenting slightly at the sight of her eyes, though he remained on guard, especially when he saw the fire and determination in her eyes, not sure what that would bode for him and Laketown," and I know, I know what we are going to bring upon this town, but this needs to happen-"

"Needs to happen?! Are you insane? If they waken the dragon we will all die!"

Bard was seething again, Sam wincing as he yelled, the rest of the Company trusting her to talk them out of this, as she had almost everything else, but wondering what she was doing, saying such a thing to Bard.

"Think about it this way, Bard, which is the better risk?" Now she had his attention, the bargeman not quite sure what she meant, still angry though he was, his curiosity reflected in his eyes, but all she needed him to do was listen," Is it better to live, everyday, for the rest of your lives, as your people have done for generations now, as your children, and yourself, have done since birth, with the knowledge that Smaug might wake on the morn of any given day and end you, end everyone and everything you have ever known, ever loved, with no warning, nothing at all, to tell you that will be the day he finally attacks again, that you all will be as lost to dragon fire as your predecessors were?"

Bard, the children, and the Company were all looking at Sam now, trying to figure out where she was going with this discussion of risks, of living in the shadow of the dragon, intrigued by what she had said, but still confused as to how she was going to convince Bard to allow them all to go," Or is it a better risk to take this chance to end the beast, once and for all? To stop living in fear, stop living in the shadow of the mountain, wondering if that will be the day Smaug comes? Is it a better risk to allow us the chance to get rid of the threat that has been sleeping in the Lonely Mountain, to take that risk and gain a chance to start anew, a life of plenty? Or is it a better risk to go on living with the same risk you always have, never knowing what the day will bring, only that you will go on living as you, and everyone else in this town, always has, with the morrow only bringing the possibility of death?"

Bard was looking at her, considering, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, of hope for what might be, of what would never need to be again, should the Company succeed, but also fear, fear of what might happen if Smaug was awakened," And what if you should fail to kill the beast, if it should leave the mountain to attack Laketown? What then?"

The Company had no idea what Sam was going to say to Bard's question, but wanting to know how she would address the obvious issue with their plan as much as Bard, Thorin staring at the back of the young woman's clever head, wondering, for what felt like the millionth time, how in the world they had managed find such a young woman, as skilled in persuading and talking them out of issues as she was, and have her become a member of their Company.

"Now, Bard," Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath," I cannot promise you we will be able to kill Smaug in the mountain, that he won't get out, that he won't attack Laketown," Bard looked angry again," but what I can tell you is that it won't happen for a few days, at least, which means, if you tell your people at first light, after we have gone, that a Company of dwarves has gone to the mountain to awaken Smaug, that they will have those few days to pack up all that they hold dear and leave, go somewhere safe, far away from Laketown and the destruction that will fall upon it, should we fail," Bard didn't look like he had thought of that possibility, of being able to evacuate everyone, given that they had a warning and time before danger might set upon them, when he had initially barged in the door, enraged and terrified as he was upon his realization of who Thorin was," but, everyone will be safe, Laketown may or may not be destroyed, Smaug might be dead in the mountain or not, but everyone will be safe from Smaug's wrath, far away from here as they may be, and the only lives that will be put in danger are those that belong to the people who want to stay behind and fight the dragon, those who make that choice, and you know there will be, Bard," she looked up at the man who was looking like he didn't think anyone, but the dwarves, would be crazy enough to fight a dragon, one eyebrow raised," because, either they will want to protect their homes, or they will want a piece of the glory, but in the end, save a few lives that might be lost, because we will kill Smaug, one way or another, whether it be at the end of a dwarvish blade within the mountain or a black arrow of the windlance of Laketown, should the beast leave, one way or another, he will die," Bard and the Company took heart from the fire and surety in her eyes, so convinced was Sam that they would succeed that it was beginning to rub off on them all, the dwarves standing taller and prouder as Bard looked less afraid and more determined," and all that will be lost will be things that can be replaced or rebuilt, and the people of Laketown will finally be free of Smaug, will be able to live without fear, and the prosperity that a renewed Erebor will bring to the region will help you all live better lives. So which is the better risk, Master Bard, allowing Smaug to live and dictate your future through the fear he causes, everyday, for the rest of you life, or allowing us the chance to kill the beast and reclaim Erebor, to bring prosperity back to your people, to take control of your own fate and see what tomorrow brings?"

Everyone was invigorated by Sam's little speech, the surety of it, the promise of better days ahead, of safety for all of those who were in danger because they had a warning, making them all believe that it would really happen, that they could really do this, that Smaug would die and Erebor would be theirs again, her words reminiscent of those said in Rivendell, when it had been decided that Erebor would become her new home.

Bard stood there, looking down at Sam, his anger quelled, but the uncertainty of what choice should be made still there, the fear of what would happen should they not succeed still there, but, in his eyes, there was also the hope for what might yet be, the fact that everyone would be safe pushing him towards one choice over the other.

Thorin, however, was a little stuck on two details of Sam's speech, as proud and sure as it had managed to make him feel (definitely an ambassador, this woman would make an excellent one for Erebor)," Why do you keep calling them his people, as if he is their leader and not that master? And why did you say a windlance might bring down the dragon, should he leave the mountain? There are no black arrows to shoot from it."

Bard was now staring at Sam, his eyes wide, realizing just what she had meant by that, what it meant she knew, left wondering how she had figured out who he was, and so quickly, as she looked at him, a knowing look in her eyes," I keep calling them his people because he is a descendant of Girion, King of Dale, because who else but his descendants would know the tale of the loosed scale? Who else would look out for the people of Laketown the way he seems to?"

The Company did not know what to make of this declaration, Thorin especially, as he was still looking at Sam askance, she sighed and rolled her eyes before continuing," I heard the guy at the gate, Alfrid was it? Muttering about it as he walked away, complaining about Girion's descendant being too uppity," she smiled at Bard, who just continued to stare, though he looked slightly annoyed at what Alfrid said," and, besides, the black arrow hanging above the dinner table in that bundle," she pointed at said bundle, Dwalin immediately hopping on the wooden table, checking to see if there was, indeed, a black arrow in it," is also pretty good evidence, as who but a descendant of Girion would have the last black arrow?"

Sam looked rather smug as Dwalin pulled out the arrow, holding it in both of his hands, like the relic of a bygone time it was, the old warrior gaping in shock, memories of a time long past assailing him as Balin gasped, his own memories flying to the forefront of his mind, a mix of emotions apparent on his face, Thorin staring at the black arrow like he had the windlance earlier, everyone else just as dumbstruck, gaping like fish at what Dwalin now held.

Dwalin eventually regained his ability to speak, after a few moments of everyone but Sam staring, almost whispering, his disbelief, and awe, plain in his gruff voice," I'll be damned, it really is a black arrow!"

Dwalin then looked at Bard, disbelief as obvious in his eyes as it had been in his voice, but, he realized, after looking at Bard more closely for a moment, taking in the shape of his jaw, his eyes, the way he bore himself, that the bargeman did, indeed, resemble Girion," Ya really are Girion's descendant, aren't ya?"

Bard could only nod dumbly, wondering how Sam had figured it out so quickly, the Company just staring at him before Thorin regained himself," They really are your people," he bowed his head slightly at Bard, the man more than a little surprised by the show of respect," and I now understand your concern for them, why you are so bent on protecting them, as it is the same way I feel about my people, about my Company," he looked around the room, Sam beaming at him for not letting his previous anger dictate his actions now, for acting like a true king in face of such an important, and surprising, revelation, Thorin looking directly at Bard now," then maybe you can understand how I feel about returning us to our home, gaining back what has been lost and returning everything to the way it used to be, to the way it should be," Bard nodded, an understanding passing between the eyes of the two kings, both crownless and throneless as they were," and maybe we can come to an agreement that, should we leave this night and get into Erebor, we will do our best to slay the dragon within the mountain, but, should we fail, you will stand at the ready with that black arrow and the windlance to finish what Girion could not," he cocked his head to the side, looking Bard directly in the eye, searching for some trace of the man he had once known in the man before him, and finding it, the same spark of spirit, of a leader, in Bard's eyes, despite both of them knowing this was not an agreement that the dwarves would leave with little fuss, but an agreement on a contingency plan, an agreement between two kings who wanted to take care of their people," are we agreed?"

Bard nodded," I do agree, that if you fail to kill the dragon, if I let you go this night," he looked at Thorin, and at Sam, the latter understanding he needed more convincing, while the former just looked slightly frustrated, though he had new found respect for Bard, considering who the man was, and was willing to hear him out, everyone else in the house just watching them, not sure what else they could do when two kings were speaking, negotiating, as they were," I will do my best to finish the job. Now," he looked at Sam and Thorin, his eyes flicking to the still shocked Balin before returning to the odd duo in front of him," while you are right, Sam, that having a few days notice will save the people from horrible, painful deaths and injuries, that is will allow us all to be safe, as safe as we can be in this kind of situation, and avoid Smaug's wrath, what are they to do in the meantime? It is almost winter, and, should Smaug attack, we will be left without shelter, supplies, and will only have whatever we were able to carry out of here, which, for most of us, will not amount to much more than the clothes on our backs. Most of us are poor enough as it is, barely able to survive on what pittance we make at our jobs on the lake, losing everything will leave us desperate, with no means of taking care of ourselves, or getting supplies to live, to rebuild, in the wake of Smaug's destruction, so how do you expect us all to survive the aftermath of this venture, should Smaug get out of the mountain and die by my hand, leaving Laketown as nothing but ashes upon the water?"

"Well, for starters, you could move into the ruins of Dale for the winter, could fortify the structures that are still mostly standing, the walls able to keep out a bit of the chill, and you could rebuild Dale instead of Laketown, restore another home to the way it once was, and it might be better to move everyone closer to Erebor, anyway, to make trade easier."

Bard cocked his head to the side, thinking, as Sam smile softly up at him, the idea of what Erebor and Dale could be warming her heart, making her happy that she could help all of these people, and her dwarves, regain their true homes, the legacies of their forebears, and everything that came with them," That is true, but what would we use to buy the supplies we would need to fortify Dale for the winter? How would we feed ourselves? And what about the people who do not want to live in Dale, who just want the homes they lost, as a result of your actions," he looked hard at Sam, who seemed unfazed for some reason," rebuilt? How are we to do all of that when we have nothing to use to buy what we need? And how will it get here? We can not afford to have it transported here, and my people should not have to fend for themselves, destitute, because of what you all hope to do. So how will all of the needs of my people be met?"

Thorin opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by a look from Sam, who was waving Bilbo over," Bilbo, if you please," the hobbit walked over to her and took a large bag, of what the dwarves didn't know, out of the back of his shirt, handing it to Sam, who looked back to Bard as she held it in front of her for him to take," I doubt this will cover all that you will need, but it is a start, if nothing else."

Bard stared at her for a moment, wondering what in the world she had just given him and what it had to do with anything he just said, before opening the bag, his mouth falling open at the site of the many jewels and gold coins in the bag, Thorin's eyes widening as big as Bard's, neither sure where she and Bilbo had gotten all the money, neither knowing of how Sam had told Bilbo to take a bit of Thranduil's treasure to further fund their quest, an improvement on his original plan, the last few days they had spent in Mirkwood not just spent stealing medicine and transporting food, not knowing how he had snuck it into a bag, tied it on his person, and managed to hide it this entire time, that being the ultimate reason he had been the one in a barrel, and why he had kept sinking when they were swimming to Bard's toilet.

"Where did you get all of this?"

Everyone was staring at Sam and Bilbo, thunderstruck that they had so many jewels and gold coins, no one having a clue where they had come from, all of them wanting to know the answer to Bard's question.

"Bard, trust me, the less you know about where we got that the better, plausible deniability and all that."

Sam was grinning deviously, a sly look in her eyes, Bilbo only trying, and failing miserably, to look entirely innocent, the dwarves understanding just where she and Bilbo had gotten the gold and jewels, all of them smiling, pleased by this small bit of revenge on Thranduil, small though it was, Nori entirely too pleased that the duo had managed to steal it to begin with, with none, especially the elves, the wiser for it, he was even more pleased that Sam had thought of it, and Bilbo had managed to pull it off, the thief grinning like a fox.

Bard was just looking at her askance, unsure what to make of this development, but not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, as it were, but, Sam was right, this would not cover all they would need, which is what prompted his next question," And where will we get the rest of the money we will need to purchase and transport supplies for the winter and rebuilding?"

Thorin's eyes narrowed, not liking where Bard was going with this, but, before he could so much as utter a single syllable, Sam stomped the heel of her boot on the toes of his right foot, making his mouth click shut, trying not to cry out from the pain of the action, the rest of the Company cringing in sympathy, Tilda giggling slightly at the funny face the dwarven king made as he turned slightly red," You will get it from Erebor," now the rest of the dwarves were ready to begin arguing, as Thorin was preoccupied, all of them unwilling to make any such promises, especially before they had even reclaimed the mountain, and knew just how much gold was it in," and if it is not given through the generosity of a certain grumpy king," she looked over her shoulder at Thorin, glaring slightly, but without any real heat as Thorin just glared back, Sam still standing on his, now, sore toes," then you will get it from my share of the treasure, as I will not let it be said that the Company of Thorin Oakenshield and the dwarves of Erebor do not take care of their friends and allies, especially in their times of need, for they will not do you and yours the same wrong that Thranduil once did them."

Sam lifted her foot from Thorin's toes, but Thorin and Balin could only stare at Sam, neither quite believing that she had just, unselfishly, offered up part of her portion of the treasure, though they both knew she was not overly concerned with money, for the sake of helping Bard and his people, for the sake of gaining a reputation of credibility, generosity, and loyalty for the dwarves of Erebor and their king, for the sake of laying the groundwork for future alliances, trade agreements, and treaties, as well as putting them in a more favorable light than the elves, making them out to be the kinder people, meaning that the elves would be unable to justify attacking the dwarves for waking the dragon and bringing destruction down upon other peoples, because they were taking care of those who were hurt or wronged by their actions, showing they were not as selfish and greedy as the elves claimed they were, that they were wrong to imprison the Company and keep them, if only temporarily, from their goal, and, with a restored Dale to come along with a restored Erebor, the two kingdoms undoubtedly becoming strong allies in the aftermath of the death of the dragon, given the aide the dwarves would provide the men, Thranduil would not be able to justify not having friendly relations and trade with the dwarves, which would mean that Erebor and Dale, even Mirkwood, would be more prosperous in less time than they otherwise would be, leaving the three kingdoms in an almost immediate peace and with a healthy trade network in the works.

Everyone else in the room, dwarves, hobbit, and humans of Laketown, were awed by her generosity, by her willingness to give up what was rightly hers for the sake of helping others, doing right by the people of Laketown, and to make sure the dwarves and the men were allies instead of enemies, something they all knew would help them greatly now, and in the coming days, as they would all need all the help they could get to restore Erebor and, now, Dale.

"So what do you say Bard? Is this enough for you to let us continue on our quest unhindered?"

The bargeman stared at Sam for a moment more before nodding his head at her, still not quite believing what Sam had just offered to him, what it would mean for he and his people, the new lives they would be able to make for themselves if all went well," Yes, this is enough, more than enough, I think, to make it worth it to allow you to awaken Smaug. So," Bard looked around at the dwarves, at Thorin, his gaze now almost as friendly as it had been earlier, though he now had the look of a leader about him," what's the plan?"

"Well, first off, you will need a plausible explanation for how you know we are going to the mountain to wake Smaug without admitting that you were the one to let us go and do so, as that might very well earn you the ire of the people, and we want them to follow you, not be mad at you," Sam had all of their attention, Bard just looking at her with a look that said he could not quite believe that she was this clever, and somewhat sneaky, in coming up with plans, and negotiating, considering she had just managed to completely turn around Bard's perception of their quest to kill Smaug and retake Erebor," so, I think you should simply tell them you saw us on the banks of the lake, being attacked by orcs, and lent us a ride because you are a good man who would not leave anyone to their deaths," Bard raised an eyebrow at this as the rest of the Company just shook their heads, Nori grinning proudly at her ability to scheme, Sam shrugging at Bard's look," hey, we want to paint you in a good light so they will follow you instead of the Master, so, anyway, you brought us to Laketown, gave us some food and a place to rest for a bit, and then, in the morning, just as we are pushing off, you hear Thorin's name, like you did today, and figure out who he is and what he is doing here, and then you go and warn everyone and you hightail it out of here as soon as possible."

Everyone was nodding to Sam's plan, as it was a relatively good explanation for Bard's knowledge of them, and it made him out to be a good, clever, and perceptive man that looked out for his people, which is exactly what they wanted, as they now considered Bard an ally and wanted him to be the leader of the people of Laketown and ensure their safety and survival, as the Company now trusted him, to a degree, to do right by them and his people as they were doing right by him, and would do for his people, something they had no idea if the Master would do or not (they all thought not would likely be the right answer).

"As for us," Sam looked out the window, noting that night had just about fallen," basically, we are going to go steal some weapons from the armory, come back here and rest until first light, cause I think we all need it," they all nodded, despite the fact that Thorin and Balin had wanted to leave as soon as they got the weapons, the two agreeing they needed the rest and perfectly content to go along with Sam's plan, especially given all she had already accomplished for them tonight that they had not even considered trying to do," and then we will row off towards the mountain, hopefully with some more supplies, in the morning and be out of your hair until after the dragon is dead. Sound good?"

Bard nodded, not quite liking the idea of stealing weapons, but understanding the necessity of it, given what they were going to face, and he would much rather they all live, as he did actually like the dwarves, so far, for the most part, not being overly fond of their tendency to get riled up easily, but understanding it was just their way," That sounds fine, and you will get whatever supplies we won't be able to carry from here, as I do not believe I will be able to get you any fresh supplies before first light," there was some grumbling, but it quieted almost as soon as it had begun," now, who will be going to the armory and when?"

"I imagine we will be leaving as soon as we figure out who is going," Sam turned to the still grinning Nori," so, who do ya think should go, Nori? We don't wanna take those who are about as quiet as bulls in a china shop," the children giggled and Bard chuckled, the dwarves who knew they were guilty of being loud just shrugging with sheepish grins, namely Thorin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur," but who is quiet enough?"

Nori took on a considering look, surveying his comrades, thinking who would be best for this," Well, let's see, you, me, an' Bilbo will definitely be goin' lass," Sam and Bilbo both nodded as Nori continued to look at his friends, debating over who would be best for such a job," and then...Fili, Kili, and Ori, an' tha' shou' be abou' all we'll need, I shoul' think."

Nori nodded, smiling, pleased as his little brother and the princes all perked up at having been picked for this little adventure, all of them grinning at what that meant, and what they would get to do, even as their elders just shook their heads and groaned, slightly exasperated at Nori's choices, Dori just face palming, because he really should have known that Nori would pick their brother, and the princes, always having had a soft spot for the troublemakers and wanting Ori to get a chance to do something exciting.

They all understood that the younger, lighter dwarves were more likely to be quiet, but, still, Balin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloing, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, and Thorin all felt like they were just asking for trouble by leaving the young ones, Sam, and Bilbo in the hands of the ever crafty Nori, the combination of the devious minds of their master thief, their lass, their burglar, and their resident troublemakers, Ori the only sensible one in the lot, despite being Nori's little brother, not boding well in the minds of their elders.

"Alright, then, I will lead you all to the armory and keep watch as you all go about your business, but, I have one last question." Thorin nodded at Bard, everyone else just listening as they prayed this particular hair brained scheme (as Kili, Fili, and Nori had plenty under their belts) would not go awry," Sam," the bargeman looked at the young woman as she just cocked her head, listening," how old are you?"

Sam eyebrows raised as she gained a quizzical look, surprised by the question, the Company equally curious why it mattered how old she was, but found no reason to question why he wanted to know or whether he should be allowed to know or not," I'm 22, why?"

Bard looked dumbstruck at Sam's statement, and they found out why a moment later," You're barely three years older than me."

The Company turned as one to look at Sigrid, who they had barely heard speak all day, flummoxed by the fact she was only slightly younger than Sam, the same reason Bard was staring at their lass, flabbergasted that this young woman, barely older than his own daughter, was a member of a dwarvish company, a ridiculously good negotiator, and was about to face a dragon.

Bard's mouth open and closed like a fish for a few moments as the Company stopped staring at Sigrid and turned to look at Bard, noting how he seemed to be regarding Sam with a slightly more fatherly expression than he had previously, Sam looking bemused by the entire situation," I thought you were older than that, with the way you act and the way you talk," he slowly shook his head at her," I can't believe your barely older than my own daughter and are about to face down a dragon," Bard face palmed," and I am about to aide you in committing a crime. Wonderful," Bard looked at his children with a look that said 'do as I say and not as I do' as the Company chuckled slightly at his realization," don't any of you get any ideas, got it?"

Bain and Sigrid rolled their eyes as they nodded, Tilda giggling as she did the same.

"Alright then, shall we go?"

/But All shall Fall in Sadness/

Sam lowered a bundle of five swords, wrapped in canvas, down the side of the armory wall with a rope to Kili, who cradled them in his arms when they got to the right height, Bard helping him untie the rope so they could use it again, as they had decided it would be best to avoid going up and down the stairs while they were moving the weapons, the threat of falling down and making a racket too great for them to want to risk it, not to mention the fact that the stairs were really creaky anyway, as they had discovered after Nori had picked the lock, Sam, Fili, and Nori cringing every time a step made a noise as they had ascended to the armory proper, the fact that using the rope was also safer, as they wouldn't be able to stab themselves while falling, also factoring into the decision.

Bilbo and Bard, for the most part, were acting as lookouts for Sam and the dwarves, Kili and Ori standing on the walkway beneath the tower of the armory, ready to receive whatever weapons Sam, Fili, or Nori lowered down, no one saying a word the entire time, not wanting to draw attention to themselves, the two younger dwarves arranging the weapons so they would be easy to carry and make little noise when they went back to Bard's house.

They had already managed to get enough swords, axes, and shields for the Company at large, Sam and Nori getting themselves some daggers while Fili grabbed enough throwing knives for he and Sam to make use of, as she was not going to be using swords for the rest of their trip, as she had not been trained in the use of normal, straight swords. The last thing they got, after taking enough of the wool cloaks they found in a chest to cover the entire Company, were bows and arrows for Sam and Kili, what was available was poor in comparison to their own bows, but they would just have to make do.

Sam, Nori, and Fili looked over the armory one last time before they, carefully, went back down the stairs, Nori relocking the door once they were all out.

Everyone picked up a bundle of weapons, as silently as they could, and, keeping to the shadows, went back to Bard's house as silently and as quickly as humanly, dwarvishly, and hobittishly possible.

/And the Lake will Shine and Burn/

The thieves slipped inside Bard's door barely two hours after they had left, everything they had set out to get in hand, and no one had seen them (Nori thanked Mahal for small miracles, the novices hadn't gotten them all caught).

"Well, tha' wen' betta' than I expected."

Nori was grinning proudly as his little troupe of fledgling thieves, and one bowman, presented their haul to their fellows, Fili, Kili, Ori, Sam, and Bilbo smiling brightly in light of their first successful heist (their elders were not entirely pleased with that thought, but were glad they had managed to achieve their goal without getting into too much trouble), the entire Company much more pleased with these weapons than they had been with the ones Bard had presented them with earlier, Dwalin hefting two war axes into his hands, they weren't Grasper and Keeper, but they would do.

"I do believe we are set, good job, all of you."

Balin's compliment had all of the thieves smiling even brighter, the old dwarf not quite believing he had just complimented the crown princes on stealing, even as the duo stood proudly next to the bundles they had carried to the house.

"Now let's get some food into all of you and get some rest."

The Company turned to find Sigrid, Bain, and Tilda getting out bowls, spoons, plates, and cups to serve stew, bread, and tea with, the stew that had been simmering since earlier that day finally ready, everyone descending on the table, ready for a nice, warm meal.

After everyone had gotten their fill of stew and bread, nice and warm from the tea, the dwarves set about trying to sort out their beards and hair before they went to bed, none of them fancying leaving it in a mess any longer than was absolutely necessary.

This left Bilbo, Sam (the two non-dwarf members of the Company sorted out their messy hair with a comb and brush that Bain and Sigrid lent them, respectively, though both of them would have much rather had a bath), Bard, and his children as an audience to an interesting spectacle, although it was one Sam and Bilbo had seen countless times before, the two taking comfort from the familiar scene.

All of the family groups of the Company were sitting together, tending to each other's hair and beards.

Kili sat behind his uncle, who was facing Fili, getting all of the knots and tangles out of Thorin's hair before rebraiding it into the two small braids that went in front of his ears, using the two clasps that were always hidden from sight in Thorin's hair to pull the bulk of it back over his shoulders, the metal clasps weighing the thick hair down so it didn't go anywhere it wasn't supposed to. Thorin, meanwhile, was getting all of the knots and tangles out of the golden hair of his elder nephew before rebraiding it into the two braids that went on either side of his head, using the metal clasp that was always on the back of his head to pull the rest of the hair back from Fili's face, before moving on to rebraiding Fili's mustache, securing his nephew's beads to the end of each and every braid, as always. The two elder Durins then tended to Kili's perpetually wild, and unbraided hair, all of the tangles and knots worked out until his clasp could be put back in his hair, Fili proceeding to mess with his brother's face as Thorin dealt with his hair, rubbing his hands along Kili's scruff and making faces until Thorin was done, at which point Kili tackled Fili and they had a wrestling match, Thorin only smiling as he looked on, beginning to smoke a bit before bed.

The brothers Ri sat in a circle, Nori behind Dori, Ori behind Nori, and Dori behind Ori, getting all the tangles and knots out of each other's hair. Nori was redoing all of Dori's complex braids, carefully removing all of the silver clasps before he got to work, pulling all of his elder brother's prematurely gray hair to the back of his head and then braiding it back into the familiar style before putting the clasps back. Ori gathered all of Nori's very long, auburn hair, secured it back into it's three points with his beads, able to braid Nori's eyebrow's and forehead lock back up into his hair without looking, having done it more times that he could count by now, then proceeded to French braid the back of his hair into a long braid before he coiled it back up and bound it with Nori's own silver clasp. Dori easily, given Ori's short hair and the familiarity of the action, got all of the knots and tangles out of Ori's hair before putting in the few braids that Ori liked, done grooming the youngest of their family long before the other two finished. After the Ri brother's hair was done, they moved onto their beards, Ori doing the two small braids in his own beard before helping Dori braid up Nori's ridiculously long beard, even as Nori braided Dori's beard, rather more quickly than he had done his hair, back into it's long silver clasp, the eldest and youngest brother eventually finishing up Nori's beard, securing it back into it's thick, three pointed portions with Nori's clasps, all of the Ri's then proceeding to relax, Ori getting out his sketch book as his brother's took out their pipes.

The Broadbeams sat in a circle, much as the Ri's did, but all facing inward, Bofur and Bombur getting all of the knots and tangles out of Bifur's hair and beard before rebraiding all of his braids and resecuring all of his metal clasps before Bifur and Bofur redid the sides of Bombur's beard, after getting all the knots and tangles out of the long, copper whiskers, joining them in the middle by interweaving the different sides, making the familiar braided beard hoop Bombur was known for, then Bifur and Bombur set about sorting out Bofur's hair, getting out all of the tangles and knots before portioning it out and braiding into the three familiar braids, one at his back and the two curled ones on the sides, then they got out the few knots in his mustache, and they were all ready, Bifur and Bofur beginning to carve a few toys for Bard's children (they both smiled when they saw Tilda's eyes light up when she realized what they were doing) and Bombur wrote some more in his little cook book, the one thing, like Ori's journal, the elves didn't take.

Oin and Gloing sat facing each other, taking all the tangles and knots out of each other's hair before Oin began to reclasp bunches of his brother's beard into their familiar pattern before braiding the back of his hair away from his face, Gloin rebraiding the two curling braiding back into his brother's beard and then redoing the one that stuck up at the back of his head. When the two were done they began to smoke, waiting for he rest of the Company to finish so they could all go to bed.

Balin and Dwalin really had very little to do by way of taking care of each other's hair, as Balin's was short and Dwalin only had a small tail on the back of his head, bald as he was, that was quickly sorted out, so the sons of Fundin spent their time setting each other's beards back to rights, pulling out tangles and knots, finger combing it back into it's proper place before too long, the two sitting back to smoke a bit before going to bed.

When the dwarves were done grooming, Bard and his children very amused and curious about the custom, but knowing better than to ask, Sam and Bilbo having watched with small smiles on their faces, they all got ready for bed.

Bard and his children passed out what blankets and pillows they had and went to bed themselves, planning to get up and wish their guests good luck before they left in the morning.

Most of the Company ended up propped against the walls of the house, as their was little floor space to lie on, Bilbo managing to wiggle his way between Bofur and Dwalin, the two dwarves chuckling as their hobbit almost immediately fell asleep in his little blanket cocoon between them.

Sam sat between Balin and Kili, her head resting on Balin's shoulder as she immediately fell asleep, her first night sleeping near the Company in nearly a month a welcome respite from her isolation in Mirkwood, the relief she felt making her exhaustion even more apparent, thus she slept soundly curled up between the oldest and youngest of the Company, without a blanket to cover her. Kili and Balin looked at each other and smiled before Kili pulled her legs across his lap and Balin settled her head on his leg, Gloin placing a blanket on her as she lay across the two dwarves, neither minding, so long as she slept soundly, though they both knew she probably wouldn't, but they were more than willing to lend her as much comfort as possible, Balin, with a grandfatherly look as his face, stroked Sam's hair as everyone began to fall asleep to the familiar sounds of the snores and snorts the Company had made in their sleep since the night they all set out from Bag End.

They all slept until the first light of day, when Sam promptly woke up from another nightmare, and the last Bard and his family saw of them, before going to raise the alarm, was Thorin, standing at the bow of the boat, looking toward Erebor.

/Oh, the Misty Eye of the Mountain Below!/

Next time we finally get to Erebor.


	14. Chapter 14

Standard disclaimers apply.

Enjoy!

/Keep Careful Watch of My Brother's Souls/

The Company rowed quietly in the early morning light on the Long Lake, all of them looking toward the Lonely Mountain, their ultimate goal now so close, so close, yet with a dire evil standing in their way.

Smaug still stood in the way of their success, of their victory, of the dwarves of Erebor truly reclaiming their home.

Sam looked up at the snowy peak of the mountain, a sense of foreboding filling her heart and mind, knowing that the closer they got to it, the closer they came to the threat of losing Thorin, and all of the elder dwarves for that matter, to the dragon sickness, to the madness of the gold, and the closer they got to the Battle of the Five Armies, and the ultimate, deadly fate that would befall their dear royals, should Sam fail in her attempts to alter their fate.

Sam had already managed to change the tone of the interactions of the Company with Bard, keeping them from the Master and additional trouble in the process, making them allies rather than enemies, or rivals, her promise of a portion of her share of the treasure going to aide the people of Laketown and in the restoration of Dale, she hoped, would prevent the dwarves and the men from coming to blows, ready to start a war, over the treasure and what was due who for what, because she was freely providing the money they would need to rebuild and survive, and she did not need the leave of the king to do with her treasure as she wished, so, even if Thorin protested, it was ultimately not his to decide, nor fight over, per the contract she had signed all those months ago in Bag End.

Sam hoped there would, at the very least, be reduced hostilities between all the different peoples that would become involved when Erebor was truly reclaimed, especially if they killed Smaug in the mountain and no damage was actually done, Sam even dared to hope, that without the people of Esgaroth to back them up, that the elves would not take to arms against the dwarves, but she could not be sure of any of this, she did not know if her plans to save her friends lives would work or not, so she could only pray, as she looked upon Erebor, that all would be well in the end, that they would all survive to see Thorin crowned King Under the Mountain, more than willing to deal with everything that came in the aftermath if it meant that the people she loved so much would live.

Kili saw the fear on Sam's face and in her green eyes as she looked at the mountain, the same fear all of them were feeling, though they were all better at hiding it than Sam, their fear of what was to come, of their impending battle with Smaug, no one knowing if they would live, or if they would even be able to find the door into the mountain.

Kili wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulders, pulling her against him for additional warmth, as they were all very cold with just their purloined wool cloaks and clothes as barriers against the cold air of the impending winter, and because he knew the presence of others put her at ease, Bilbo having told them how much solitude had bothered her in the dungeons, how his presence for only short periods of time seemed to make her look better by leaps and bounds, the contact making her immediately relax as she turned to look at him, the young prince putting a small and, he hoped, comforting smile on his face, the sorrow in her eyes, along with her fear, pulling at his heart, pushing Kili to try and comfort her further, finding he inherently disliked the sight of Sam, their Sam, so distressed, so he leaned towards her and, almost, put his lips to her ear," Don't worry Sam, we'll get through this, we'll all get through this, and then we can all live together in Erebor, just like we planned, so, take heart my friend, we will all be alright."

Kili gave Sam another, softer smile as she smiled the same way at him, before the grief, the grief that had been her eyes as she sat in Beorn's willow, came back into her eyes, darkening the jade depths to a deep forest green, as she said, turning to look at the solemn and dark mountain again, Kili following her gaze," I hope you are right, Ki, I hope and pray that you are right."

/And should the Sky be Filled with/

After the Company had trekked through the ruins of Dale on their first day out, memories of days long past apparent on the faces of those who had known it as a great city, the elder dwarves haunted by the images of the past, Thorin deciding to forsake waiting for Gandalf at the overlook in favor of getting to the mountain sooner.

On Durin's Day the Company eventually got to the side of the mountain that the hidden door was supposed to be on, Bilbo spotting the stairs they needed to climb.

After climbing, hopping, and hauling (Bombur in particular) themselves up the many steps, Bofur and Bifur, just as they had in the High Pass after Rivendell, positioned next to Sam and Bilbo, the miners keeping a close eye on their friends as they climbed up the side of the mountain, both noticing how Sam was trying to ignore the height while still sticking close to the wall and how she was helping Bilbo up the many things they had to climb over, as he was too short to help himself, and they were a little to short to help either.

They all made it up to the ledge the stairs lead to just before sun down, Thorin reverently approaching the wall that they all hoped held the door to Erebor.

Dwalin stood in front of the wall of stone and looked for the keyhole, trying to find it before the sun set, or at least guess as to the general vicinity.

Sam and Bilbo stood off to the side, watching their friends grow more and more excited as they got closer and closer to actually entering Erebor.

As the sun began to set, they began to look for the keyhole, but as the sun sank lower and lower towards the horizon, the dwarves started to get frantic, Nori tapping on the rock to see if he could find the lock, Dwalin beginning to hit the door in earnest, Fili, Kili, Ori, and Bilbo looking dismayed at the prospect of the door not opening, the rest of the older dwarves standing to the side and out of the way as Thorin and Balin could only stare, all of the hope leeching from their features, unsure of what they could do to help, what they would all do if the door didn't open.

It was at that point that Sam decided to intervene.

She wandered closer to Balin, the old dwarf barely registering her presence before she spoke, when he jumped slightly and turned toward her, not quite knowing why she was speaking to him at the moment, when it seemed as if all they had done and been through had been for naught," Balin, Durin's Day is the last day of autumn, right?"

Balin looked slightly annoyed, and confused, by her question, in light of their current situation, but answered anyway, her young friends and Bilbo looking at them both with lost expressions, unsure what to do in light of their apparent defeat, hoping the clever duo might have an answer to why the door wasn't opening," Yes, it is."

"That means it's the autumn equinox, the longest night of the year, right?"

Balin cocked his head to the side, turning to face Sam more completely, her face half lit by the light of the setting sun, his eyes widening slightly as he realized Sam was going somewhere with this line of questioning, but not yet sure where," Indeed, that is true."

Sam smiled slightly at Balin, some of her usual mischievousness coming back to her eyes, though it was still dimmed by her apprehension and fear of what was to come. Fili, Kili, Ori, and Bilbo took note of the look, Kili pushing on Bofur's arm and pointing at Sam, whispering to the miner about what significance an equinox might have, Bofur then doing the same to the rest of the Company, trying to figure out what their lass might be getting at, then she spoke," Well, doesn't it seem odd that we should be waiting for the last light of Durin's Day," here Sam paused, hoping Balin would get her meaning," on the longest night of the year?"

Balin's eyes widened completely as those who had been listening just looked even more confused, not understanding what Sam meant the way Balin did, his mouth turning from a grim line to a smile as he spoke," Sam, your a genius."

Sam smiled brightly as Balin turned towards Thorin, Dwalin, and Nori, who were still hovering around the door," Moonlight, the last light of Durin's Day is moonlight! The door will open after the sun goes down and the moon begins to shine! Dwalin, stop pounding on the door, Thorin, Nori, come away, we have yet some time to wait before we can enter, come along lads."

The trio turned to look at Balin, hope shining in their eyes as they heeded him, backing away from the door, all of them looking like the children Balin had once known them as in that moment, the rest of the Company beginning to cheer as they realized there was still hope, that the door might still open, even as the sun began to sink below the horizon.

Fili and Kili actually grabbed Sam and gave her a dual hug, which had her squealing in surprise and happiness, and a little fear, as they were right next to the edge of a cliff, everyone else chuckling as they watched the princes hop up and down in a circle with their lass in their arms, grateful that she had realized something none of the rest of them had, saving them from heartache and giving up prematurely.

The sun eventually ceased to shine, the Company once again becoming restless as they waited for moonbeams to shine down, all of them gasping as they saw the white, silvery moonlight begin to shine on the door.

A thrush knocked a snail against the rock, and the last light of Durin's Day shined upon the keyhole, the Company going silent and still in awe, eyes widening and glistening with the hope of what this would mean for them, for their quest.

Thorin cautiously approached the keyhole, as if he couldn't believe it was actually happening, key extended in front of him, and then it went into the keyhole, and Thorin turned the key, all of them hearing a slight clicking sound as the lock opened.

Thorin backed up a step, staring at the door, before pressing himself against it, pushing the door open, and into the mountain, Thorin staring into the darkness before moving.

Thorin Oakenshield walked though the door, taking the first steps he had walked in Erebor in more than 90 years.

/Fire and Smoke.../

"Erebor."

The Company slowly walked into the mountain, the dwarves in utter awe, tears coming to their eyes because they were finally home.

They were home.

The dwarves of Erebor had returned.

Thorin stumbled, leaning against a wall, caressing it like a long lost friend as he stared like a child at all that was now before him, something he had never hoped to see again until Gandalf approached him in Bree, all those months ago, so moved was Thorin by being in these halls, the halls he had been born in, the stone he had been raised under, once again, the familiar rock surrounding him bringing him a peace he hadn't known since the day Smaug attacked.

Dwalin and Balin helped each other inside, the brothers overcome with emotion, almost unable to believe they were back in Erebor, back where they belonged, where memories of brighter days and happier times had been made, and where yet more may come to pass, should they succeed.

Oin and Gloin followed their cousins through the door, standing just to the side of it, staring, not quite comprehending that they had done it, that they were actually in the mountain, they were in Erebor.

The brothers Ri came inside, Ori just looking around, excited that they were now in their ancestral home, that their adventure was almost complete, that they were so close to their ultimate goal, but his brothers could only stare, Dori and Nori running their fingers along the walls, basking in the familiarity of the stone, their mouths hanging open as they remembered.

The Broadbeams stepped inside and looked around, unsure what to think or do so great was their awe, Bofur taking off his hat in respect for the ancient halls, for all who had come and gone from them, Bifur and Bombur turning in circles where they stood, trying to take it all in, their minds not quite processing what they were seeing.

Fili and Kili went up to their uncle, in a daze as they stared at the walls of the kingdom of their forefathers, of their great grandfather's, and gave him a hug, Thorin pulling them to him, all of them beaming at each other, their companions, and their home, their kingdom," Welcome home, my boys, welcome home."

Fili and Kili only grasped Thorin tighter at his words, so glad were they to be there, to be able to see their uncle's dream of reclaiming their homeland so close to fruition, to see him so happy and relieved and relaxed, like they had never seen him before.

Sam and Bilbo were the last to enter the mountain, both standing and staring just within the doorway before walking further in, Sam just marveling at the place, so glad they had finally gotten there, so glad to see the honest joy and excitement in Thorin's eyes, almost overcome with joy herself for her dwarves, their expressions making her heart light, their tears making her eyes water, a bright smile on her face as she took in their awe and happiness and excitement at the reclamation of their home, until she was overcome with fear, her smile dimming as she realized what this meant for them all, what it meant for Bilbo, as she gazed at the hobbit, realizing he would soon be sent into the dragon's den, that she might never see her dear friend again, that this might be the first true step they take to changing or sealing the fates of Fili, Kili, and Thorin, that her dwarves might soon be lost to the gold.

The cold, heart stopping fear Sam felt for what was to come dampened the soul deep warmth brought on by their emotional triumph, by finally stepping foot in Erebor, after working towards this goal for so long, giving up and enduring so much just to be standing beneath this stone.

"Herein lies the seventh kingdom of Durin's folk. May the Heart of the Mountain unite all Dwarves in defense of this home."

They all turned, drawn from their memories, awe, and, in Sam's case, fear, as Gloin read the inscription carved in stone just above the door they had all entered through, Sam feeling dread weigh heavy in the pit of her stomach as she looked upon the carving of the Arkenstone shining above the throne of the king, the same one Thror had sat on before he was lost to his family and his people, the very one Thorin hoped to sit in some time soon, but, hopefully, not to await the same fate as his grandfather.

Sam stood there, unable to move, staring at the carving of the Arkenstone, so great was her fear of what it could do to her friends, listening to Balin explain to Bilbo just what the carving was of, and Thorin saying," That, Master Burglar, is why you are here."

The entire Company was staring at Bilbo now, a little expectantly, knowing their dear friend was an excellent sneaker and terribly clever, perfect for the task they had needed him for in the first place, but none could help the fear they felt for him, the fear of sending him to his death, of losing their dear hobbit to dragon fire, of never seeing Bilbo Baggins alive again.

But the fear in the faces of the dwarves could not match that which Bilbo saw in Sam's face, her skin pale, a cold sweat beginning to break out on her brow, and her eyes were wide, so wide, barely able to contain the almost overwhelming fear she felt for her friend, not unlike what she had felt when Dori and Ori were dangling from that tree, what seemed ages ago now.

So the Company, one by one, gave Bilbo a hug, a forehead touch, and encouragement or wish for the best of luck or telling him to be careful, Fili and Kili double teaming him, as always, Ori trembling a bit when he hugged Bilbo and pressed their foreheads together.

Bofur held Bilbo at arm's length, looking at him with a soft, sad smile, his eyes shimmering both with happiness that they were finally in Erebor and sorrow for what it might cost them, what might be lost in their attempts to truly reclaim the mountain, as he said," I wish you all the luck in the world, I really do." before hugging the hobbit tightly and patting him on the back, lightly tapping his hatless forehead to his friend's, hoping beyond all hope this would not be the last time they saw their hobbit alive.

Nori mumbled a few sneaking pointers into their hobbit's ear, holding his friend tight to him, their foreheads pressed together, before he let go, Dori doing the same, unable to say much, the look in his eyes as he touched his forehead to Bilbo's saying more than anything he could utter, the torrent of emotions going through him nearly rendering Dori mute.

Oin and Gloin had no idea what to say to Bilbo, so they mumbled their well wishes, tapped their foreheads to his, and stood back, unsure what else they could do for Bilbo, but pray.

Bombur actually lifted Bilbo off the ground with his hug, pressing their foreheads together and promising a grand feast when they succeeded, which only made Bilbo laugh, telling the round dwarf he was looking forward to it, his voice a little wobbly in light of the situation, Bifur then taking the hobbit from his cousin and doing the same, not even trying to convey what he was feeling, because he knew he could not describe it, or it would get lost in translation, but Bilbo seemed to understand all the same.

Dwalin just put his hands on Bilbo's shoulders, tapped his forehead to the hobbit's, gave him a hug and wished him the best of luck, even as he felt they were sending him to his grave, something he wished they did not have to do, but knowing they had no choice in the matter, they needed to know if the dragon was alive or dead, and Thorin wanted the Arkenstone, something Dwalin did not think was immediately important, especially when lives were at stake, but he was not about to tell Thorin that, the look in the king's eyes putting him a little on edge, the look similar to the one he had once seen in Thror's, all those years ago, Dwalin finding himself praying he was wrong about what he saw in Thorin's eyes, wary of what it could mean if he was right.

Sam approached Bilbo next, she smiled sadly, and apprehensively, as she tapped their foreheads together and brought him into a tight hug, which he fervently returned, trembling a bit, stilling as Sam spoke into his hear, too quiet for anyone else to hear," Bilbo," he heard her take a shuddering breath, as if needing strength for what she was about to say," if you find the Arkenstone when you go down there, I don't think you should give it to Thorin," Bilbo pulled back slightly, fear and confusion apparent in his blue orbs as their eyes met, Sam trying to convey the strength of her fears and convictions through that look and her words, realization dawning in the hobbit's eyes as she continued," I fear what it will do to our dear king, I fear it will change him into someone we no longer recognize if you give him that damned stone, that he will become naught but a shade of his former self should it come into his hands. I can see something changing in his eyes, even now, Bilbo, and it scares me, so Bilbo, please, please, I beg of you, do not give Thorin the Arkenstone, should you find it, for Thorin's sake, all of our sakes, don't give him the stone, please."

Bilbo nodded slightly at her words, giving her one last squeeze before he let go, seeing the relief in her eyes, though tears still lingered in them, at his agreement with her request, the hobbit turning to regard Thorin and Balin, stilling for a moment when he saw the change in Thorin's eyes that Sam had been talking about, even as the king came over and wrapped his arms around Bilbo's shoulders, giving him encouragement and telling him to be safe as he led him over to Balin, leaning down to tap their foreheads together before stepping back, Balin putting one arm around Bilbo's shoulders, looking at their dear hobbit with no small amount of fear, pride, and affection in his eyes, as he saw the determination in Bilbo's face, beginning to lead him toward the passage that would take him to the dragon, their steps echoing ominously as they left the Company behind.

/Keep Watching Over Durin's Sons/

The mountain trembled, shaking beneath their feet, sending everyone off kilter and on guard, some rocks falling off the cliffs, not long after they sent Bilbo into the depths of Erebor to face Smaug, alone.

"What was that?"

Bofur's question was met from similar exclamations from his friends, all of them looking around for a threat, everyone on edge, no one sure what to do now that they were actually at Erebor and faced with the task of dealing with the thrice damned dragon.

"That, my lad, was a dragon."

Everyone stilled at Balin's statement, their eyes going wide, looking at each other, debating on whether they needed to go in and save their hobbit, Sam watching them all, especially Thorin, from her spot, pressed into the mountainside next to the door, looking terrified, Fili and Kili standing near, but unable to offer her much comfort, as they were scared themselves, for Bilbo and everyone else.

Ori voiced all of their concerns with a small, scared utterance, the timidity in it much more reminiscent of the way he had talked at the beginning of their journey than recently, Nori, noting the difference in Ori's voice, more than aware of the reason for the change, draped an arm around Ori's shoulder to comfort his little brother as best he could, given the situation," What about Bilbo?"

"Give him more time."

Thorin's interjection had them all staring at him, wondering what had gotten into him that he was willing to leave Bilbo without aide when they could see fire through the door into the mountain, his friends looking at each other, in concern for Bilbo, debating whether or not to go in anyway, even as Dwalin and Balin shared a look, wary of what had caused Thorin to say such, neither of them noticing the way Sam was studying their leader.

"Give him more time to do what? To die? Thorin, we need to do something, we can not just abandon Bilbo."

Balin was searching Thorin's face looking for something to tell him his fears were unfounded, when Thorin looked at him, his tone accusing, all but confirming Balin's worst fears," You are afraid."

Now the Company was really confused, looking at Thorin like they didn't recognize him, the look in his nephew's eyes, of utter shock, enough for Dwalin to feel the need to put his arms around their shoulders, trying to comfort them, since Thorin was in no state to do so, or even notice their fear, in the face of what might be happening to their uncle, the look in Thorin's eyes not one they recognized.

How could they not be afraid, for themselves and for Bilbo? How could Thorin even consider abandoning their dear friend?

Balin looked at Thorin askance as he answered, Dwalin keeping Fili and Kili from interfering, the princes wanting to make sure their uncle was alright, neither understanding the sudden change in his attitude, understanding why he did not want to help Bilbo, Dwalin's expression, and his strong arms around their shoulders, stopped them from going to Thorin, as they told the two that Dwalin did not know quite what was going on, looking like he might be afraid of the answer, and that scared the two even more," Of course I am afraid. I am afraid for our friend, for Bilbo, for every member of this Company, and I am afraid of what will happen when we face that dragon, and all that will come after it," Balin was searching Thorin's eyes, finding a small spark of the dwarf he knew so well, latching onto it with his own gaze, trying to draw it out with his words," and I fear for you," Balin pointed at Thorin, emotion leaching into his voice as he remembered a similar look in the eyes of Thror, before everything had come down around them, dragon fire raining down from the sky," because a curse lies upon that treasure Thorin, one that drove your grandfather mad, something you saw happen, and I fear it will do the same to you."

Thorin looked at Balin, some sense coming back to him, but, still he said," I am not my grandfather, and I will not risk the fate of this quest for one burglar."

Everyone was stunned at those words, none of them quite believing Thorin had just said them, that he would be willing to throw away Bilbo's life so callously, and, regardless of all that was at stake, they could not believe that Thorin would betray Bilbo, that he would rather leave their hobbit to die than go in and save him, than risk not regaining a jewel, a cursed jewel that would never be worth as much to them as Bilbo, alive, because they all knew that, for all that the treasure of Erebor could buy, it could not bring back the dead, so they all stood there in stunned silence, but they eventually regained themselves and began to voice their protests, readying themselves to go into the mountain and save their friend from the dragon, with or without the leave of their king, Fili, Kili, and Dwalin doing the same, even as they continued to stare at Thorin, aghast.

"You know, never once on this journey have I been afraid of you, Thorin," the Company paused as they turned to look at Sam, noting how her eyes held a familiar fury and determination, but also fear, fear for what they did not know, because this was not the same fear she had in her eyes earlier, for the dragon, for all of them, this was different a different fear, a fear of something more awful that death by fire, but they did not know what, exactly, it was that caused that fear, they could guess only that it involved Thorin, and, at that moment, they completely understood why she might fear their king," not even when you paced around me like a warg at Bag End, but, now, Thorin," Sam was looking directly into the king's eyes, as he had turned around to face her when she began speaking, and the look in her eyes further pulled Thorin back from the darkness he had slowly been falling into without noticing, coming completely back to himself when she continued," now, I am afraid of you, because the dwarf I have come to know over the last few months would never even consider abandoning our hobbit, he said as much at Beorn's, if I am not mistaken, but the dwarf that stands before me now is not that dwarf, is not my king nor my friend, and his callousness scares me, that the Thorin Oakenshield I know could so quickly turn into this dwarf scares me."

The shock of Sam's words was enough, for now, to bring Thorin back, Sam's searching gaze showing her that she had her king, her friend, back, causing her to relax even as the Company looked between the two, tense and unsure as they were, everyone coming to the conclusion that they agreed with Sam whole heartedly, even Fili and Kili.

The fact that the two princes were scared by their uncle scarier than, to them, anything else, but everyone was scared by the sudden change in Thorin and how it made him act, realizing that the gold might, even now, being pulling at his mind, causing the beginnings of madness, but they felt their fear for the worst ebb when Thorin looked back at them all with, once more, clear, blue eyes, their king returned from whatever dark place he had fallen into.

"No, Sam, please don't be afraid of me," Thorin was truly back now, Balin clapping him on the shoulder even as he looked to their lass, his hands raised, palm out, in a placating gesture, trying to convey to her that he was alright, that she had no reason to fear, his eyes more than a little beseeching, regretful, and scared, as he had scared himself with his words, his attitude, now wary of himself and what he might do, wary of any odd or cruel thoughts that might come into his mind, unbidden," I was wrong to say such things, of course we will go help Bilbo, I don't know what came over me, please forgive me, all of you," the Company relaxed slightly, though still ready to run down the passage and help Bilbo, glad to see their friend and king act like the good dwarf they all knew he was once more, all of them nodding at his request, Sam doing the same, though she still watched Thorin closely, something he could not blame her for, and glad that she did so, hoping she would help keep him in check, as she just had, should he step across a line again.

Fili and Kili walked up to their uncle, Dwalin finally nodding at them that it was alright, looking into his eyes before hugging him, Thorin hugging them back, both pulling back with slightly relieved smiles on their face, their apprehension at facing Smaug, and worry over what had just happened to their dear uncle, more than apparent.

"So, what's the plan?"

Dwalin's menacing look, the one he got before every battle, made them all smile a little, taking heart from their resident professional warrior, gaining a little confidence that they really could do this, that they really could defeat Smaug and truly reclaim Erebor, but they were all still afraid, even as they began to come up with a plan.

/If This Is to End in Fire/

The Company was running down a series of side passages, after having grabbed Bilbo as he was running away from a stream of flame coming from the passage he had gone down earlier, a nod to Sam informing her he had, indeed, found the Arkenstone, but would keep it from Thorin, as per her request, the Company trying to get to the right spot, in the middle of the city, at the median level, where they would have plenty of coverage and spots to attack from while Smaug attempted to follow their movements from the main caverns of the city.

The plan the Company had agreed on revolved around luring Smaug to a relatively confined space, the middle of the city, and having members of the Company at different points around the center, as it was a square of walkways and structures that would keep Smaug from moving around too much, so they could attack Smaug at about breast level, hoping that Girion really had loosed a scale, that they would be able to defeat the dragon with enough direct shots to his breast, a plan that proved to be exactly what they needed as Bilbo informed them that Smaug was, indeed, missing a scale on his left breast, all of them mentally thanking Girion for his actions, all those years ago, and his descendants for providing the information to begin with.

The Company planned on having Sam and Kili on opposite corners of the center, in the tall columns from which all the walkways in whatever direction originated, while Nori and Fili would be in the other corners, so they would have someone with a projectile weapon, bows and throwing knives respectively, in relatively protected and spread out spots where they could try and shoot Smaug in the area of his lost scale, their positioning around the square giving someone a shot no matter where the beast turned, while the rest of the Company would be running around, acting as distractions, hurting the beast in whatever way they could, and possibly trying to throw swords or axes at the loosed scale themselves, though they would try not to waste their weapons.

So the Company ran down passage after passage, up and down several different flights of stairs, heading for the center of the city, and when they got there, they scattered, Sam, Kili, Fili, and Nori going to different towers as the rest of the Company spread out between them, all of them standing at the ready, their swords, axes, throwing knives, and bows ready to strike, the ground beginning to shake violently.

Smaug was coming for them.

The great beast had followed their footsteps, their very scents, and was quickly approaching their location, all of the dwarves, Sam, and Bilbo looking around in fear and apprehension, all more that willing to face what was coming, to fight and kill Smaug and reclaim Erebor, but still afraid of the great beast, for only the foolish and the arrogant would not fear such raw power.

And then Smaug was upon them.

/Then We Shall All Burn Together/

The Company had been fighting Smaug for what felt like hours, their muscles burning with the effort and strain put on them by continuously running back and forth between the pillars that made up the center of Erebor, sweat running down their backs and their brows as they hopped over Smaug's claws, the very flesh of the dragon radiating intense heart, avoiding his teeth and tail, slicing and hacking when they got close enough to strike, only to have to spring away and sprint back towards the safety of the junctions where Sam, Kili, Fili, and Nori were stationed, only taking shots when they had a clear view of Smaug's breast, but never quiet hitting the beast, as he always turned right at the second they let loose an arrow or a knife, but the dragon was unable to harm any of the Company while they were within the stone structures that joined the walkways, as the doorways were too small to fit virtually any portion of the beast's massive body, and he was limited to what kind of attacks he could use, given their location.

The Company was safe from Smaug's fire, and his brute strength, because the dragon realized, should he bring down the pillars they were fighting him on, or damage them in any way, the mountain itself would collapse, the structures bearing the weight of the top of the mountain, killing them all, and the dragon did not want to die by way of being crushed by thousands upon thousands of pounds of rock, so he reframed from outright destroying or melting the pillars, allowing the Company to avoid deaths by dragon fire and falling, something they took full advantage of in their efforts to slay him.

Dwalin, with dual battle axes, and Bofur, with a war hammer, were continuously taunting and getting the attention of the dragon when he was about to strike another member of the Company, as he was Bifur and Gloin now, causing the two to run, both yelling at the top of their lungs, at any piece of the dragon that was near them, smashing his tail and hacking at his claws before running away just as quickly, and loudly, when Smaug proceeded to chase them with his toothy maw.

Bifur and Gloin then hopped over the beast's tail, as it swept along the walkway, and started yelling at Smaug themselves, trying to get the beast away from Dwalin and Bofur, and give Kili a clear shot, but the creature went after Balin and Oin instead, his teeth nearly grazing Balin as he dove into one of the corner structures, nearly bowling over Fili as he was looking for an opportunity to throw a knife at the beast about to eat his friends.

Dori, Ori, Bombur, Bilbo, and Thorin then charged, from different sides of a walkway, towards the tail sitting on it, backing and slashing at the scaly flesh, all of them surprised when their continuous barrage of the limb actually cracked a scale and drew blood, eliciting a thunderous roar from Smaug, the beast turning, eyes ablaze with fury, and his reptilian gaze focusing on Thorin.

Thorin and Bilbo began to run towards one of he corners, Smaug's face right behind them as he tried to, at last, eat the lying thief and the dwarvish usurper, Thorin, seeing how close the dragon's gaping maw was to actually eating them, picked up Bilbo and flung him into the corner structure, just barely getting through the doorway himself before Smaug stopped, the tip of his snout just within the doorway, sulfurous smoke leaking from his nostrils, making them all cough a bit, even as Sam, Thorin, and Bilbo were able to clearly see his fiery orange pupil, glaring at them.

"Come out you worthless worm and face me! Or are you as much of a coward as your grandfather? Unwilling to leave the safety of your little hole, oh mighty dwarf prince, to fight me face to face?"

Smaug knew just which of Thorin's buttons to push, the great beast smiling cruelly, his teeth incandescent white in the darkness of the mountain, his eye narrowing as he saw rage appear on Thorin's visage, but Thorin knew better than to take the bait, and could push a few buttons himself.

"Why would I waste my time on a pathetic slug that has been growing fat and lazy as he sat languishing in his own filth for all of these years?"

Thorin punctuated his jibe by stabbing Smaug in the nostril, the dragon rearing back and roaring in pain from the blow to his face, completely exposing his underside, and his missing scale.

Sam and Kili saw their chance, and took it.

In moments, despite their less than spectacular bows and dwindling supply of arrows, the two archers were able to get multiple arrows stuck just inside of the scaleless hole in Smaug's hide, enraging the beast more as he turned around, looking wildly for one of the Company on which to take out his wrath, and his pain, the tender flash beneath his scales bleeding from the multiple arrow wounds, but none quite able to kill the beast, spotting Ori, who stood just outside of the doorway of one of the corner rooms, Smaug quickly lowering his face to kill the young dwarf, even as both of his brothers tried to pull him inside.

Ori had a determined look on his face, despite the fear in his eyes, shrugging off his brothers hands as he stared down the dragon, no one having a clue what he was doing, why he was doing it, the entire Company yelling at him to move, terrified for Ori, no one wanting him to die in an act of heroic stupidity, but none of them could have guessed what happened next.

Ori flung both of the war axes he had at Smaug's chest, with a strength none of them has seen him use before, and, miraculously, they were both direct hits to Smaug's hide, pushing Sam and Kili's arrows further into his flesh, even as they dug in themselves, causing rivulets of blood to flow down the beast's hide, the Company staring in shock, Nori and Dori dragging their little brother back into the safety of their corner, only for them all to start cheering as Smaug roared in pain and began thrashing, though he still avoided the pillars, looking like he might be close to being finished, none of them quite believing that Ori had just managed that, but more than proud of him for the accomplishment, for his bravery, no matter how stupid it had been to even take the chance, even though Dori, and Nori, were telling him never to scare them like that again, even as they congratulated him on the damage he had done to the dragon, proud of how their brother had faced down Smaug and had actually managed to hurt the beast.

Smaug continued to writhe in agony, scraping at his chest, trying to loose the arrows and axes from his injury, and succeeding, the dragon hooking one of the axes on his claws and bringing it up to his face, his eyes suddenly narrowing in recognition, making all of the dwarves stop their cheering, now wary of what the dragon would do, as he had apparently noticed they were using man made weapons.

"Those pathetic lake men gave you worthless dwarves these weapons, they aided you in your scheme to kill me and take my treasure!"

The dragon took in the scared looks of the Company through the small windows in all of the corners, specifically Sam's terrified expression, who he mistakenly believed to be of Laketown, once he realized she was actually human, and not a dwarf, the dragon smiling cruelly at them, coming to the conclusion that the dwarves cared for the people of Laketown, which they did, none wanting anyone to die needlessly, but the Company knew there were only few people left in Laketown because they had been warned, days in advance, of the possibility of a dragon attack, now the Company fearing for Bard, who they knew would be waiting in Laketown in case he was needed to use the black arrow with the wind lance, and what would happen to his children should he be slain in his attempts to kill Smaug, none of them wanting to be the reason that Sigrid, Bain, and little Tilda became orphans.

The dragon chuckled evilly, his razor sharp smile cruel as he spoke," You care for those lake men," the eyes of the Company widened, unsure what to do, if they should deny the statement, own up to it, or just plain old attack the dragon for what they knew he was thinking," and they will pay the price for your mistake, for daring to attack me."

Smaug laughed, a deep, booming ominous sound that made the hair of the Company stand on end as the stone and their bones vibrated with the resonance of it, as he went under the walkways and headed away from them, towards the gates of Erebor.

Smaug was leaving Erebor, and he was going to attack Laketown because Bard had helped them.

The Company hoped Bard was ready, and that his aim rang true.

/Watch the Flames Climb High/

As soon as Smaug was out of their immediate sight the Company regrouped and ran for the battlements just above the front gates of Erebor.

They all slammed into the rock making up the railing of the battlements as they came crashing through the doors, having sprinted as fast as they could, Dori actually picking up Bilbo so he wouldn't get left behind, the entire Company looking up at the night sky, eyes wide and full of fear, and awe, at the sight of the great dragon glowing orange in the night, the fire in his belly fanned by the strength of his fury, even as the great beast listed in his flight towards Laketown, their arrows and axes apparently having done more damage that they had originally thought, as the great beast looked like he was weakening, even as he got closer and closer to Laketown.

The Company gasped as one, hands flying to the mouths of some while other's only continued to stare in horror, as Smaug let loose a jet of flame, setting the Long Lake alight as the wooden structures of Laketown began to burn, the lake shining, the refections of the flames upon the water making it seem as if the very lake itself was burning.

They watched as the still listing and unsteady creature banked to make another pass at Laketown, only for the beast to suddenly rear back, his wings flapping wildly, tail lashing, a great shriek being released into the night as Smaug, Great Fire Drake of the North, fell into the lake, a great wave emanating from the force of the impact, a great cloud of steam rising up as the hell fire in the beast's belly was, finally, quenched, never to be rekindled again, by the waters of the Long Lake, a final rumble escaping Smaug as he sank beneath the surface of the lake, his wretched life finally ended, all of those killed by the Great Wyrm, finally avenged.

The Company stared in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief, searching the surface of the lake, looking for the slightest of movements from the beast, some sign that Smaug still lived, that what they had just seen could not have happened, that they were mislead, none quite believing what they had just witnessed, none quite comprehending what had just happened.

Bard had shot the beast with the last black arrow.

His aim had rung true.

Smaug, the greatest calamity of their age, so far, was dead.

/Into the Night/

The night of the dragon's defeat the Company of Thorin Oakenshield had a grand celebration, but it was not one full of good food or wine or beer or ridiculously grand accolades or anything like that, this celebration was like all truly good celebrations should be, full of jokes and laughter and songs and music and good stories, camaraderie and love and friendship and trust apparent in everything they said and did that night, full of all of the things that truly mattered in the world, all of the things had brought them together, that made their bonds stronger over the course of their journey, bonds that became stronger still, even as they sat around the great bonfire they built, celebrating into the wee small hours of the morning until they all drifted off to sleep, the Company in a great blob of bodies upon the floor, close for the sake of warmth and comfort, curled and cuddled into each other in ways they never would have dared at the beginning of their journey, as unfamiliar with each other as they had been, but now, after all was said and done, now that Smaug was dead, they were a family, a true family, a family born of a quest that never should have succeeded, but, against all odds, it had, and it was never more apparent than that night just what that quest had done, what it had bred amongst a group of rag tag dwarves, a human, and a hobbit, and it was a truly beautiful, and miraculous, sight.

/Calling Out Father, oh! Stand By and We Will/

The morning after the death of Smaug, however, was when everything started to go horribly wrong, when Sam knew there were just some things she could not prevent or change, no matter how hard she tried, or what she did.

Thorin, who had not even spared the hoard of gold and jewels a glance the previous night, so glad was he that the creature that had taken so much from him was dead, giving Sam a false, and fleeting, hope that it wouldn't take hold of him, had asked Bilbo about the Arkenstone.

Bilbo, of course, told Thorin he hadn't found the stone in his brief foray into the treasure hoard, as he had been rather distracted by the dragon that wanted to eat him, and the king had not looked pleased with that response, though he did give Bilbo a mithril chain mail shirt in thanks for risking his life the way he had, the look that had come back into Thorin's eyes had scared the hobbit and Sam, none of the others seeming to notice it in light of their lingering jubilation and energy left over from the death of Smaug, the fact that most of them were now very interested in exploring the treasure of Erebor clouding their sight.

And that was why they were all now standing in the treasure room, because Thorin wanted to find the Arkenstone, and he wanted them to find it as soon as possible, so he had ordered everyone to begin looking for the jewel, an order the dwarves had no problem following, as they wanted to find it for their king, knowing how much it meant to him, though a few had their reservations, such as Balin and Dwalin, but they could find no viable reason to disobey Thorin, so they went along with everyone else, everyone excited and curious to see the King's Jewel, as well as all of the other treasures of the hoard.

The dwarves all stood in awe of the vast sea of precious stones and metals that blanketed the cavern, staring at the glittering jewels and shiny gold.

"I've never seen so much gol' in all my life!"

Bofur's exclamation drew everyone out of their shocked states, standing at the edge of the hoard as they were, all but Dwalin, Balin, and Thorin beginning to yell and whoop in excitement and happiness, knowing that they would all get a share of this mountain of gold and never be wanting for anything else for the rest of their lives.

Thorin simply regarded the treasure, something he had seen in his younger days and was not as incredible to him as it was the others, his pride and happiness at having reclaimed his home and slain the dragon shadowed by something dark and increasingly malicious in his eyes, the good king he was beginning to change into someone darker and darker as he looked at the treasure, someone who would not honor his word or look for peace between his people and others, who would be ruled by pride and greed and anger, someone who was not truly Thorin Oakenshield, though few would realize that before they were consumed by the same darkness that was beginning to rule their king.

Balin was not moved by the treasure, as tainted as he still believed it was, though the sight of it did invigorate him with memories of better days and times long past, enough so that he smiled at the antics of his friends, glad that things would change for the better for them all, that the dark days were behind them, he thought, as he did not notice the darkness from the other evening returning to Thorin's eyes.

Dwalin just shook his head, smiling right along with his brother, at the sight of the Company, most of it at least, as he noted that their lass and their hobbit were not participating, acting like children, though that was decidedly normal for Fili and Kili, the warrior glad to be in the old halls again, though he did not care all that much for the treasure, knowing what it had done and might still do, even as he felt himself be tugged toward it, as most dwarves were to gold and jewels, Dwalin just glad that this had not turned out to be the suicide mission his brother and himself had originally thought the quest would be, even if they had followed Thorin willingly.

Those of the Company who had grown up poor, money ever in short supply, the Broadbeams and brothers Ri, were the most enthusiastic in their celebration of the gold and what it would means for themselves and their families.

None of them would ever need to worry about having enough money to buy food or clothes or medicine or anything ever again, they would never have to go hungry again, they would never have to wear shabby and hole ridden clothes again, they would never have to watch someone they loved suffer because they could not afford what the medicine and care they needed again, they would never have to live in constant fear of not having what they needed to live because they didn't have enough money ever again, and it was a relief.

Dori looked so relieved by the thought of never having to worry about feeding, clothing, or taking care of his brothers, at least in a monetary sense, ever again, that none of them would ever be left wanting again, that Ori could do whatever he wanted with his life because he would have more than enough money to live on for the rest of his life without working a day, if he didn't want to, that the poor dwarf had to sit down, a hand clamped over his mouth as his eyes became a little wet, just watching his brothers and his friends celebrate their new found wealth and home, and everything that came along with it. It slowly dawned on him that this also meant that Nori wouldn't need to be a thief anymore to support them, that he wouldn't constantly be in harm's way and in danger of being left to rot in a jail cell, and, while Dori had no idea what Nori would do for his profession if he was no longer a thief, the thought of him finally being safe, never risking his neck again just to put bread on the table, was something that Dori had dreamed of for years, and was so thankful that it was actually, finally, happening.

Nori actually ran up the side of a hill of treasure only to stop at the top, sit down, and slide down it, acting like a child seeing their first snow, he was so happy, so relieved, by thoughts of all of the things he would never have to do anymore to take care of his family, all the things he would never need to worry about again, he would never have to steal again to make sure they had everything they needed, he could put his skills to better use by helping his king keep track of all the things going on in his kingdom by gathering information and dealing with anything that had to be resolved quietly and secretly, he could put his skills to use in protecting Erebor and protecting all of those who had become so dear to him, a job he would be proud to have, that Dori would be proud of him for having and neither Ori nor Dori would ever need to worry about bailing him out or getting thrown in jail again.

Nori had never felt so happy in all his life, even as Ori, Fili, Kili, Bofur, Bifur, and Bombur joined him in his frolicking in the treasure after his first ride down the hill, all of them laughing and just being merry in general as they all began to goof around, rolling down the hills of treasure, throwing it up in the air like it was water, making gold angels, and sliding every which way as they began to go further into the hoard to see what there was to see.

Ori was so relieved his brothers wouldn't need to worry about taking care of their family, through whatever means necessary, again, that neither of them would need to do anything they didn't want to or didn't like for the sake of making enough money to support them all ever again, that Dori would never need to worry about how his brothers were going to survive in the world, that neither he nor Dori would ever need to worry about Nori getting into trouble again, that they could all live the rest of their lives without worrying about where their next meal was going to come from, that Nori and Dori wouldn't need to worry about him, or each other, as much, because there was no way that those two would ever stop worrying completely, and that they could finally live their own lives and do whatever it was that made them happy. Ori couldn't wait to see what his brother's would do with their lives now that everything had changed.

Bofur didn't know what to do with himself as he stared around the treasure hoard from the top of a pile, looking around at it all, seeing Bombur and Bifur sitting and staring themselves, on chests of gold no less, the sight of his family warming his heart, as now they would never have to worry about anything ever again, they would have enough food to eat, better clothes to wear, and they could do whatever they wanted with their lives. Bifur and Bofur could focus on being toy makers instead of miners if they wanted, Bombur, who had never liked being a miner, hating the darkness and the dank smell of the deep earth, could be a cook, maybe even the royal cook for all they knew. None of them would ever have to work themselves to the bone again, ever do back breaking labor in the mines, away from the sun for hours on end, always in danger of cave-ins and what not ever again, unless they chose to, they would never have to live a hard life, payday to payday, ever again, and it was nice. They were but simple dwarves with simple wants and simple needs, and they would never have to do without those simple things again, and that was enough for them.

Bombur could barely believe they had actually done it, as he looked across the vast expanse of gold, could barely believe they had actually helped defeat a dragon, that Erebor was reclaimed, and that they all got a portion of the gold. Bombur looked up at Bofur, as he stood on top of a mountain of gold, and their eyes met, and the brothers knew they were thinking the same things, that their lives would be better from now on, they would be surrounded by good friends, good food, and a warm home, and they would all be happy together in Erebor.

Bifur could only watch his cousins, seeing the relief and happiness and joy in their eyes for all that would be and that would never have to be again, and he was happy, so long as his family was happy, he was happy, because that had been all he ever wanted, especially after the axe had found it's way into his skull, when the frailty of life had been more than apparent to them all, when he had woken up and seen how distraught his cousins had been, how happy they were that he was alive, that he was aware, he had realized that, no matter what life threw at them, they would always be together and they would always be family, and that was all they needed to be truly happy, and, as Bifur looked around at the Company, he came to the conclusion that they would all be even happier now, because their family had grown in size, had added more members that could only add to the laughter and the love that had already been in their lives, and Bifur was happy, because all of them were happy, and that was all he needed, his eyes sparkling as he took in all of those who had become so dear to him, and would be continue to be dear to him for the rest of his life.

Oin just sat back and watched the silliness of his new found family memebers, fingering a few pieces of gold, taking a gander at some trinkets and jewels, but mostly just basking in the beauty that was Erebor, in finally being home after all of these years and seeing all that had been theirs returned, even if it was in far worse shape that it had been before the dragon, though the mountains of gold would be more than enough to restore the city to it's former glory, a glory that all of the elder dwarves and the young ones, Fili, Kili, Ori, and Sam, and Gimli, for that matter, would be able to enjoy in the years to come, and that thought alone made Oin smile.

Gloin was just staring at the ocean of gold trying to best figure out how to tackle it, as he was a banker afterall, and wanted to start on the work of actually figuring out how much gold there was, how much the Company would get and how much would be Erebor's, and everything else of that nature, all in the process of trying to find the Arkenstone, something Gloin would very much like to see, though maybe not in the hands of Thorin, as the fiery haired dwarf did not trust it not to hurt Thorin in some fashion, as he would much rather see it entombed at Thror's memorial in place of the king's body, much more worried for the welfare of his cousin than concerned overly much about the jewel. Gloin also couldn't wait to see his wife, Midala, and son, Gimli, again, months of separation from them having taken their toll on the dwarf, and he could not wait to properly introduce the entire Company to them, hoping that Bilbo would stay for a while so that they could all meet, Gloin smiling as he thought of such a meeting, enjoying the mental image of seeing Fili, Kili, Ori, Sam, and Gimli together causing trouble, knowing his wife and Dis would get along swimmingly with their lass, and would probably laugh at all of the trouble she had managed to keep them out of.

Kili was overcome by childish glee and enthusiasm as he found that all of the stories his uncle and the others had ever told he and Fili were true, Erebor was magnificent, there were mountains upon mountains of gold, and it did feel like they belonged there, it would never be quiet like home, but there was still this odd sense of belonging, and Kili suddenly understood why his uncle had missed this place so much, why he had pined after it like he had, because this was a dwarven kingdom, a place where dwarves belonged, and it was more than the prince could have ever imagined.

Fili shared in his brother's glee and enthusiasm, but he was also awed, awed by this place, by the kingdom of their forefather's, by everything it had once been and would again be, Fili was instantly entranced by their ancestral home the way he had never been by anything else, the images his uncle had created with his descriptions of halls filled with golden light and green stone and endless walkways were entirely accurate, but could not have prepared him for the majesty of this place, and he was slightly daunted by the thought that he would one day rule Erebor, but he did not let those thoughts dampen his mood, continuing to frolic through the treasure with everyone else.

Sam and Bilbo, however, just stood off to the side, at the shore of the ocean of treasure, both standing well away from the edge, as if afraid to touch the cursed treasure, watching their dwarves, discontented and worried looks on their faces, both filled with a sense of foreboding, neither quiet sure what was going to happen now, but the look in Thorin's eyes was back, and they could both see the beginnings of the same look nearly hidden behind the happiness and contentment of the other dwarves, save the youngest three, as barely there as it was, the darkness was beginning to creep into the eyes of their dear, dear dwarves, and neither of them knew what to do, how to help them, to protect them, save to keep the Arkenstone from Thorin.

"It's just a bunch of shiny metal and rocks."

Bilbo could only nod to Sam's muttered statement, completely agreeing with the utterly abhorrent tone she had spoken in, as neither truly understood nor cared for the apparent reverence the dwarves had for all things valuable, both thinking this was a ridiculously large amount of treasure and it was somewhat disturbing in it's wealth, and it scared them.

Sam and Bilbo were both afraid of what this treasure would do to their dwarves, what it would cause, now that it was reclaimed and Smaug was dead, and what it would ultimately mean for their lives, for all of their lives, and how things would change, between them and in the world at large, as a result.

Sam, nor Bilbo, quite knew just how much things would change for the Company in a relatively short amount of time, everything they had come to know and hold dear over the preceding several months suddenly at stake, and none of them would ever have guessed how steep a price would have to be paid in the end, one none of them would have been willing to pay, had they known.

/Watch the Flames Burn Auburn on the Mountainside/

Cliffhanger, dun, dun, dun!

I hope you enjoyed, and, I probably should have said this last chapter, but I didn't, but the previous chapter is pretty much where we stop following the movies, and the book for that matter, so be ready for some surprises. ;)


	15. Chapter 15

Standard Disclaimers Apply

Enjoy!

This is my longest chapter yet.

/High!/

Within a few days of Smaug's death the elder dwarves of the Company were lost to the dragon sickness.

All they did was sit in the treasure room and look for the Arkentstone and, when they weren't actively looking for the stone, they were entranced by the jewels and the gold, sitting for hours just examining the treasure, counting it, hoarding their favorite pieces, and guarding it fiercely, barely eating, barely sleeping, always focused on the gold, becoming but shades of their former selves, saying little, appearing to feel little, knowing naught of what was going on around them, not even remembering their kin, so distracted were they by the treasure.

Fili, Kili, and Ori had been confused, at first, when they saw the changes come over the Company, not quite sure what was happening, why they were all acting so odd, so unlike their normal selves, and it scared them, they hadn't known what to do the day that Dori and Nori completely ignored Ori after he had fallen down a mountain of gold, neither so much as looking his way as he had cried out.

Fili and Kili had pulled Ori out of the gold and made sure he was ok, but they were all staring at their friends and family, at their utter lack of attention to Ori's cry of distress shaking them to their cores, because the people they knew and loved would have reacted, would have at least looked over, asked if he was alright, but most of them should have come over themselves, always watching over their three youngest, but they did nothing, absolutely nothing, and that sent a cold chill of fear through them that Smaug never could have hoped to elicit, because it was not a fear of death or injury, it was a fear of losing all that they held dear, of losing their loved ones to the gold the way Thorin had watched Thrain and Thror, it was the same fear they now realized they had seen in Sam's eyes as they stood on the ledge of the mountain waiting for Bilbo, and suddenly things made sense.

Sam and Bilbo had feared this all along, since the day they actually arrived at the mountain, that was why they had watched them all from the sidelines since the morning after Smaug's death, barely venturing toward the treasure, despite Thorin's orders, studying them, trying to discern how the gold was affecting them all, only to find they were losing their friends to the gold far too quickly to do anything about it, none but Fili, Kili, and Ori even noticing that Sam and Bilbo had moved all of their things away from the main campsite the Company had set up, seeking to remove themselves from the madness, to give themselves a respite away from the sight that was breaking their hearts as they watched the people they loved change into people they didn't recognize.

The day Fili, Kili, and Ori realized what was happening, the day that no one reacted to Ori's distress, they left the treasure room, and decided to never come back, to avoid it at all costs, lest they fall prey to the dragon sickness themselves, they planned on telling Thorin, who had sent a raven out the day after Smaug's death to Dain, telling him of the success of their quest, that they would act as guards and lookouts for Erebor, awaiting the coming of Dain and the help they would need to begin rebuilding Erebor, an endeavor that they knew Thorin would approve of, as it was important, and forethought worthy of the king's heirs, the need to keep guard of his treasure and wait for those who would defend it a pressing matter in Thorin's clouded mind, despite how he still wanted them all looking for the Arkenstone, the darkness in his eyes that they now realized was the dragon sickness darkening, getting worse, with every day that passed without it's discovery, so the trio fled, fled to Sam and Bilbo, and the small camp they had set up in a guard station near the gates of Erebor.

Sam and Bilbo had been more than willing to provide comfort to Fili, Kili, and Ori, the five touching their foreheads together in a group hug, all of them taking strength from one another, they were so relieved that the three young dwarves had not fallen to the sickness, that they had remained themselves, in spite of the treasure.

Sam and Bilbo were more than supportive of their plan to stay away from the treasure, to separate themselves from that which had taken those they loved so quickly, because it was the best way to keep the three safe, and, Sam thought, to ensure they would be able to help keep the others safe, when the time came.

So Fili, Kili, and Ori moved into the guard station with Bilbo and Sam, to avoid dealing with their lost family, because it was entirely too disturbing to watch what their family had become, because it hurt in ways nothing else ever could, so they distracted themselves by watching for Dain and guarding the gates, leaving the watching of the others to Sam and Bilbo, the two utterly unaffected by the gold, all of them huddling together in the night for comfort and warmth, to remind themselves of what had been, only nights ago, something they all hoped they would be able to regain somehow, someway, because none of them could imagine those they loved so remaining the mere shadows of themselves they had become.

And Sam was terrified, fear growing in her heart and mind, a cold hand clenching her heart every time she saw who her family had become, because they now resembled the Company she had met in her nightmare, her worst fears coming true, all because of the treasure, that cursed treasure.

Bofur was no longer the dwarf that had gotten on a stool to sing "The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late" with a jig, he no longer laughed heartily or smiled brightly, the merry twinkle in his eyes gone, replaced by a shadowy darkness, a darkness that seemed to suck all kindness and light from his face, his sole focus the gold, the way it had been in the troll hoard, all those months ago, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the kind hearted, joyous and mischievous toymaker.

Bifur was no longer the dwarf who had spent hours perfecting his life like bird toy so he could give it to Estel, he no longer chuckled in amusement or gestured emphatically, that spark for life in his eyes that shone brighter for his family and friends put out, replaced by an emptiness that pulled all energy and joy from his being into the void, the void created by the gold, the cold gold that was stealing the inherent warmth of his being, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the eccentric, gentle and intelligent toymaker.

Bombur was no longer the dwarf who had caught eggs in his mouth that night in Bag End, he no longer hungered for or enjoyed food, his appetite for laughter and fun gone, replaced by a different kind of hunger, a hunger for things that would never fill the emptiness that now existed in his chest, his very heart, he only hungered for the gold, for more and more gold, even as the gold made him feel emptier and emptier, the way food and his family never had, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the quiet, thoughtful and creative cook.

Nori was no longer the dwarf that had once been an avid protector and provider for his family, he was no longer sarcastic and crafty, that spark of mischief that had always been in his eyes snuffed out, replaced by a selfishness that devoured all that made him a good dwarf, devouring his compassion and generosity, he wanted the gold, as much as it as he could have, the same way it had been in the troll hoard, all those months ago, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the cheeky, smart and caring thief.

Dori was no longer that dwarf that fussed over his family and friends, he was no longer mothering or kind, the inherent softness of his eyes destroyed, replaced by a hardness that crushed all that made him so devoted and protective of those he loved, his devotion now going to the gold, leaving no room for all the love he had once harbored for his family, guarding his collection of trinkets as fiercely as he had once protected them, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the caring, proper and strong protector.

Gloin was no longer the dwarf that missed his family and helped his brother, he was no longer fatherly and comforting, the fierce loyalty and love for his family and friends no longer shone in his eyes, replaced by a icy coldness that froze his heart, keeping him from feeling all the strong emotions he was known for, the cold gold smothering that fire in his soul, smothering his love for his family and his friends, the cold tendrils of gold squeezing his heart leaving him unable to feel naught but lust for the gold, the same way it had been in the troll hoard, all those months ago, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the fiery, reliable and devoted warrior.

Oin was no longer the dwarf that took care of the Company when they were hurt, he was no longer patient or gentle, the caring and calculating look in his eyes changed, changed in to a cool detachment that gave him a clinical, cruel eye where once there had been a sympathetic and kind one, surveying the gold, looking for that which was worth most or was the most beautiful, the beauty of life, of his family, overshadowed by the gleam of the precious metal and jewels, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the determined, knowledgeable and responsible healer.

Dwalin was no longer the dwarf that protected all of those he loved and cared for to the best of his ability, he no longer brought a feeling of safety and surety, the fierce protectiveness in his eyes perverted, perverted into a terrifying animosity that turned the strength he had once used to make others feel safe into a monstrous thing that promised a cruel and painful death, should anyone threaten his gold, should anyone try to take it from him, no longer caring for the welfare of those he had once sought to protect, just the gold, leaving someone unrecognizable as the kind, intelligent and loyal warrior.

Balin was no longer the dwarf that had been the grandfatherly advisor to the entire Company, he was no longer understanding and merry, the knowing kindness omnipresent in his gaze absent, replaced by merciless depravity that destroyed and massacred any that stood in his way, stood in the way of his gold, of amassing all that he deemed worthy of being his, the gold keeping him from understanding just what was happening to him, to everyone, leaving behind someone unrecognizable as the wise, comforting and faithful scholar.

Thorin was no longer the dwarf that had wanted to give his family and people a better life, he was no longer a compassionate leader or uncle, the intelligence and pride in his eyes gone, replaced by a frenzied, directionless fury that only sought to keep everyone away from his gold, his mountains of precious gold, at any cost, his desire for the Arkenstone, for the safety of his hoard, leaving him unable to see what was happening to him, what was happening to them all, unable to see the same darkness in himself that he had once seen in Thror, his new found greed leaving his face with a dark scowl unlike any ever seen on his face before, leaving someone unrecognizable as the passionate, loving and dedicated king, uncle, and friend.

The five members of the Company that remained unaffected by the dragon sickness kept watch over their fellows for three weeks, trying to get them to remember who they were, what they were there for, anything to bring them back to themselves, but nothing worked, absolutely nothing worked, in fact, they only seemed to be getting worse.

The day came when they got a raven saying Dain was near, and it was on that day that Bard came looking for a small amount of the treasure, promised him by Sam, so that his people could continue to survive the winter, and rely less on the elves of Mirkwood for supplies.

Thranduil came with Bard, ostensibly to make sure the bargain made with him on the behalf of Laketown was honored, but also to make demands himself, to demand the jewels once denied him by Thorin's grandfather as a peace offering, as they had broken out of his dungeon and woken the dragon, though not doing near as much damage as Thranduil had originally thought they would cause, and as a vote of confidence that peace treaties and trade agreements would soon be drawn up between the new King of the soon-to-be rebuilt Dale, Thranduil, and Thorin.

Bard and Thranduil were both eager to restore the region to it's once former glory, that hope being one of the reasons Thranduil had decided not to do anything more than ask for the jewels, not wanting to start a war when there was no need, when everything had turned out alright, in the end.

Neither of the kings, however, were expecting that, when they went to Erebor to talk to Thorin and begin communication between the three kingdoms, they would be rudely and hostilely turned away and dismissed by Thorin, that he would so blatantly disregard the agreement he had made with Bard, that he would get none of the treasure, regardless of the fact that it was Sam's to do with her share as she would, though they both had, to some degree, expected hostility towards Thranduil, just not an outright refusal of any sort of peace or trade agreement with the elf, ever.

The apologies and outright sadness from the three youngest dwarves, Sam, and Bilbo did nothing to quell Bard's feelings of betrayal at the utter contempt Thorin had shown for him, so different from the way he had spoken to him the night he stayed in Bard's home, or Thranduil's anger at the hubris of Thorin Oakenshield, and that was when Sam, Fili, Kili, Ori, and Bilbo knew there was going to be a war, a battle over the treasure, something that wasn't worth a war, or any of the lives that would be lost in the process, because the one thing no piece of gold could ever do was bring back the dead, but the expressions on Bard and Thranduil's faces were enough to tell them they were not of the same belief, nothing any of them said would do anything to quell the seeds of war that had been planted, the way the kings began to talk to each other in earnest as they walked away with their guards only convincing them more of what was to come.

Sam knew that Thraduil and Bard, with their armies at their backs, would stand against Thorin, stand against Dain, and that none of them would be ready for the threat that was coming, and it was at that moment that Sam decided she needed to do something.

It was at that moment that she decided she'd had enough.

/And if We should Die Tonight/

As soon as Bard and Thranduil left Bilbo and Sam began discussing, between themselves, as they did not think anything they came up with would sit well with Fili, Kili, and Ori, what they could do to try and prevent a war, to appease Thranduil and Bard.

Sam ended up telling Bilbo, the only member of the Company who knew she had any form of visions because of the pendant (which he finally got the chance to tell her warmed up when he wore his ring, nearly getting to the point of burning him in Mirkwood, and he thanked her for talking to Elrond and acquiring the pendant, because who knew what would have happened to him otherwise, he had actually suggested throwing it away, if it was evil enough to invoke the magic of his pendant, but Sam had told him it would be best he keep it, as the pendant protected him from it's evil, and who knew what damage it would wring upon whoever found it, should he get rid of it, and Bilbo had agreed) that she had a feeling, not unlike the one she had in Rivendell the night she told Elrond of her nightmares, that something was coming, and quickly, something bad, something evil, and that it would threaten them all, and they did not have time for petty squabbles over gold when all of their lives might be at stake, because they would need to work together to defeat whatever was coming, because, otherwise, they would all fall, and Sam was haunted by what might still come to pass should they fail to instigate some sort of peace between the kings.

So Sam and Bilbo came up with a plan to try and force a peace between the the three kingdoms, to force Thorin to give Thranduil and Bard what they wanted, especially since what Bard wanted was what he had been promised and had every right to ask for; neither Bilbo nor Sam cared at all for Thranduil, but they would need his help, and the jewels he wanted had been promised him long ago and had been wrongfully denied him, so they saw no harm in giving him what he wanted, so long as it ultimately allowed them all to survive, and for peace to reign afterward.

Sam and Bilbo knew they would need to force Thorin, someway, somehow, to see that Thranduil and Bard were not his enemies and that they needed to work together to defend all of their kingdoms and people, and they hoped what they came up with would get through the sickness to the real Thorin, that he would come back to his senses and be the king they all needed him to be.

So, late one night, two days after Thranduil and Bard had left, war on their minds, their armies now camped before Erebor, as was Dain's, Thorin in constant contact with his cousin through ravens, the campfires like fireflies in the night, a sight that chilled Fili, Kili, and Ori to the bone, none of them having ever wanted to know anything about war, never wanting to fight in one, to know the horrors of it, something they knew they would not be able to escape now that it was on the doorstep of Erebor, Sam and Bilbo prepared to leave, and were about to, when Fili, Kili, and Ori stopped them, looking entirely too young and afraid, the fact that they were not anywhere near prepared for war more than apparent.

"Where are you going?"

Kili's all to wide and afraid eyes flitted between Sam and Bilbo, apprehensive of what they might be doing now that everything seemed to be going wrong, though he knew they would never, ever abandon the Company.

Kili was afraid they would do something stupid, something that might get them both hurt, for the sake of the Company, and he did not want to see either of them come to harm, especially not now when they needed all the support they could get, because the Company needed them too much right now, the people they loved so much that were not themselves, they needed to be taken care of because they had forgotten how to take care of themselves, how to keep themselves from harm, and the three young dwarves could not handle that responsibility alone, not with how much it was already weighing on their hearts and minds, and the Company, though most of them did not remember it at the moment, loved them too much to allow them to get themselves in trouble for their sake, and Kili knew, he knew, that if either of them ever came to harm for their sake, while the others were still under the influence of the dragon sickness, they would never forgive themselves, none of them would ever forgive themselves, so Kili couldn't help but worry about what kind of trouble their clever lass and hobbit might be getting themselves into, and why.

"It's best you don't know where we're going, or why. I'm sorry guys," Sam looked between her three friends, guilt and worry and determination and outright fear apparent in her eyes for all of them to see, the same emotions reflected in Bilbo's eyes as he looked at his three dear, young friends, knowing what they were about to do was the only thing that might prevent a war, even as Fili, Kili, and Ori became obviously more worried by Sam's words, not understanding why they needed secrecy, why they were leaving, why any of this was even happening to begin with," it will be better for you, safer for you, if you just don't know, so, please, don't ask anymore questions, and let us go."

"But, Sam, Bilbo, why-"

"Ori, please."

Sam held up her hand, and Ori quieted, searching her eyes for something, anything, that might tell him what was going on and where they were going, but he only found that familiar glint of protectiveness in her eyes, as overshadowed as it was by almost everything else she was feeling in that moment, so Ori could only nod, knowing that, whatever their dear lass and hobbit were doing, they were doing it for them, and that would have to be enough information, for now, even as fear gripped his heart, afraid of what was going to happen in the coming days, worried for his friends, even as he wished them luck with all his heart, that whatever they were going to do, it would go well.

Sam and Bilbo hugged their friends and touched foreheads, trying to comfort them before heading off on their unknown errand, trying to convey to them that they were trying to make everything that had gone so horribly wrong right, as best they could, given the circumstances.

As Sam and Bilbo started out the door of the guard station, Fili, who had yet to speak, with the voice of someone faced with a challenge they were not ready for, as, should Thorin not come to some semblance of his senses soon, Fili would need to be in charge, and he was definitely not ready to lead, with the voice of someone who was resigned to their fate, and afraid, but still more than willing to bear the burden, if it meant those he loved would be alright, he said," Good luck, be safe, and hurry back, my friends, for you will be sorely missed in your absence."

Sam and Bilbo could only nod at Fili, holding his gaze, knowing the Crown Prince was trusting them, trusting them to do what they thought was right for the Company, because he trusted them implicitly at this point, trusted their judgement, he trusted them to do right by them all without knowing what they were going to do, because he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that they would never do anything to hurt the Company, to hurt Erebor, to betray them, and he was also trusting them to come back and be safe, because they all needed each other right now, if not because the rest of the Company needed them, then because Fili, Kili, and Ori needed them, because they needed Sam and Bilbo to help them through this, because they really didn't know what to do, because, besides Bilbo, they were really all too young and inexperienced to have all of this thrust upon them, and they needed Sam's faith and logic and sarcasm to keep them grounded as much as they needed Bilbo's fortitude and pragmatism and fussiness to do the same, to keep them all going, to give them hope that everything would be ok again, hopefully sometime soon.

They all needed each other if they were going to survive what was coming, so Fili, Kili, and Ori were trusting their friends to come back to them, because they would be more than a little lost without Sam and Bilbo.

Sam and Bilbo had all of that in mind as they left Erebor and went to Bard's camp, knowing that they might not be able to stay by their friend's sides if their plan backfired, but still having to take that chance, needing to take that chance, because, if they didn't, there might never be another opportunity to make things right again.

/Then We should All Die Together/

The next morning Thranduil and Bard returned to the Lonely Mountain.

"Prince Fili and Prince Kili," Bard smiled at the two young dwarves on watch, knowing none of this was their doing and that they had been almost as upset by their uncle's behavior as he had been, hoping to put them at ease before what was likely going to be an unpleasant morning," would you please go and get your uncle? Kind Thranduil and I have something to discuss with him."

Fili and Kili smiled slightly at Bard and bowed slightly to Thranduil, who nodded his head at the two young dwarrows, realizing, for the first time, just how young they were, the elven king finding he hoped their uncle would be more reasonable once their reasons for coming this morning were revealed, because he really did not wish to see two so young fall in a war that needn't have been.

Kili went to get their uncle while Fili stayed with the delegation, going to get Sam and Bilbo first, because he was sure whatever was going on was their doing, and they needed to be there for it, Ori coming too, then going to get his uncle, who became enraged that Thranduil and Bard had dared return, that they thought to negotiate with him, and he quickly stormed out, surprisingly, followed by the rest of the Company, who were equally angered by the human and elf, the outright rage on their faces, especially Bofur's, scaring the young prince, for he had never seen that level on rage on any of their faces before, and he hoped they would all come back to themselves soon, because he could not imagine them living the rest of their lives that way.

Kili locked eyes with Sam, Bilbo, and Ori, all of them more than worried by the reactions of the rest of the Company, but hoping that, whatever Thranduil and Bard were there to talk about, that it would change something, hopefully for the better.

As they all began to walk away, back to the gates of Erebor, Sam pulled Kili aside, holding the young dwarf by the shoulders, desperation and fear clear in her eyes as she began to speak," Kili, I need to ask something of you, I need you to promise me something."

Kil was confused, he did not know what had come over Sam, the intensity of the emotions in her eyes scaring him as he studied her, wondering what could have elicited them, because he knew they were not due to the impending war, the realization of what was coming had elicited a different look in her eyes, not this, this was wilder, the desperation in her gaze telling him she knew something he didn't and she didn't know how it was going to pan out, and it terrified her in the worst way, but he knew, whatever it was she wanted from him, he could not refuse her," Of course, Sam, anything. What do you need?"

Sam took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, quelling her rising panic, because it would do her no good now, because everything had already been set in motion, and she would just need to deal with what was to come, whatever happened, and she opened her eyes, the desperation and fear she felt now pushed back, overshadowed by her determination to save the people she loved, even if their plan didn't work, because Kili was her contingency, the person she knew would do whatever she asked of him to the best of his ability, and she knew he would do it, because she knew he could see how scared and determined she was, and he knew she would not ask anything of him without reason, so he would do it, especially once she told him what it was and why, because their lives would be in his hands, and Kili would not fail his family, so Sam looked into his eyes and held his gaze as she spoke, even as her heart clenched, as it ached, because she feared this would be the last time she would ever be able to talk to Kili, the last time she would ever be able to look him in the eye, those beautiful chocolatey brown depths that held so much light and love and laughter, that made her smile and see more beauty in the world than she had in years, and that hurt, hurt more than anything ever should, hurt in more ways than she thought it would, because this young dwarf had become more dear to her than she had ever imagined, and she knew she had to do whatever she could to protect him, and the others, no matter what it cost herself, because they were all too precious to allow to come to any harm," Kili, no matter what happens this morning, no matter if things go terribly, terribly wrong, I need you to promise me that you will get everyone out of the mountain, that you will get them out and get them to Dain's camp, that you will all join his host of soldiers rather than stay in the mountain, because it will be safer for you all, for war will be upon us soon, if not with Thranduil and Bard then with the darkness I can feel coming, it will be safer for you all to fight from within the safety of the ranks of his soldiers than to attack from the mountain, Kili, please promise me that you will do this, please, please, promise me."

Sam hoped that, if she could change the beginning, because her nightmares always began the dame way, then maybe she would be able to change the end, and change the fates of the Sons of Durin in the process.

Kili did not know what to make of Sam's request, some panic beginning to rise in his chest, making him want to ask her a million questions, what could go horribly wrong? What darkness did she feel coming? How did she know there was going to be a war? Why did she need him to do this? Why wasn't she going to be there to help him do it?

But, as Kili looked in her eyes, he could see how much she needed him to do this, how desperate she was for them to get out of the mountain, for them all to be safe in light of whatever was going to happen, because she was afraid, more afraid than he had ever known her to be, and he couldn't bear to see her that scared, more scared than she had been in the boat to Erebor, and her distress meant he could only nod, bringing her into a hug and kissing her forehead before touching his forehead to hers," I will, Sam, I will, I promise."

"Thank you, Kili, thank you, thank you so, so much."

Sam's eyes began to water as she looked into Kili's equally watery eyes and, as they stood there, their foreheads pressed together, arms around each other, knowing their lives were going to change drastically in the next few days, knowing how much they had both changed in the amount of time they had known each other, knowing that they both might die soon, something passed between them, something entirely different and entirely similar to what they felt that night in Bag End, all those months ago, the same, but inherently different, warmth spreading through their chests, something beautiful and more precious than any treasure passing between them, but, before either of them had any time to really think about what had just happened, they heard shouting coming from outside the gates, on the battlements where the meeting was to take place between the kings.

The moment was broken, but the memories were there, and so was the feeling, and both Kili and Sam knew they would, eventually, come back to it, and find out what that exactly it was, and what it meant for them, but, in the meantime, they had to go deal with a bunch of dwarves that were not themselves, and hopefully prevent a war.

Kili and Sam sprinted to the battlements of Erebor.

/Raise a Glass of Wine, for the Last Time/

Thorin was yelling at Bard and Thranduil, the voices of the rest of the Company joining in, save Fili, Ori, and Bilbo, with their agreements with Thorin, telling the two kings they would get nothing from the dwarves of Erebor, that they had done nothing to deserve it, and had no right to ask.

This was the scene that Sam and Kili entered into when they got to the battlements.

Bard and Thranduil were standing before Thorin, with their guards, a wooden box in Bard's hands, both patiently, if unhappily, waiting for the dwarf to quiet so they could tell him why they were here.

Dain stood off to the side, having arrived shortly after Bard and Thranduil, as they had told him of their intent to meet with his cousin and had urged his attendance, and urged him to try and talk some sense into Thorin, something Dain was beginning to understand the necessity of as he watched his usually relatively composed cousin act like someone he didn't know, seeing the traces of madness in Thorin's eyes.

Dain understood that his cousin was currently under the influence of the dragon sickness, and, as such, was acting completely unreasonably, but he still did not agree with the demands made by Thranduil and Bard, and would not condone them getting any of the treasure, the way they likely hoped he would, regardless of the fact that it would enable an immediate peace, more than willing to fight for what rightfully belonged to the dwarves of Erebor, especially since he had no knowledge of what had happened in Laketown, or any promises made.

Dain very much resembled Thorin, though he was younger, and his hair was brown, but he still had the same piercing blue eyes, broad shoulders, and commanding presence. He also had a certain mischief in his eyes that Thorin lacked, but it was overshadowed by his concern for his cousin, and his companions, as it was obvious to him that all of them, save the two non-dwarves and the youngest three, were taken by the dragon sickness, and by the contempt he apparently had for Thranduil and Bard, their desire for the treasure almost as bad, in his eyes, as his cousin's apparent madness.

Gandalf also stood on the battlements, having arrived just after Dain, the ravens informing him of what had occurred and the meeting about to commence between the three kings, saying nothing and doing nothing, only watching Thorin and the rest of the Company, his face grave and eyes dark, for he had feared such things would occur, but had hoped that Thorin would be strong enough to resist the madness, that the rest of the dwarves would be strong enough to resist, though he took heart when he realized that Fili, Kili, and Ori still had their wits about them, though they looked scared and unsure of what to do, the same as Sam and Bilbo looked, and he could not blame them for that, as he was not entirely sure himself what he was going to do with these developments, besides deliver the bad news he had, so he gave them all a slight smile, attempting to comfort them in this awful situation, and they all returned the smile, if only slightly, the usual light in all of their eyes shadowed, but Gandalf knew they were strong, and that they would survive this, somehow.

Thorin's rant soon ended, the king seething as Bard and Thranduil took their chance to talk.

"Thorin Oakenshield, we have come here today to give you another chance to prevent war and support peace in our region, to give us what we ask for, what Bard was promised and what your grandfather so long ago denied me, but today, instead of simply asking you for these things, we offer you a trade."

Thorin just glared at Thranduil as he spoke, his hate for the elf more than apparent in his eyes," There is nothing you have that I could possibly want, that would possibly move me to give you anything, especially when you don't deserve it."

Thranduil smiled a vindictive smile at the dwarf as he motioned for Bard to open the wooden box he held," Oh, I beg to differ, Thorin Oakenshield."

Bard opened the box, and everyone went still, the air wooshing from their lungs, time seeming to stop as they all gazed at the Arkenstone, sitting on a bed of velvet within the box, shimmering like nothing else in the world, everyone captivated by it's light.

Then Bard shut the box, the look in his eyes telling Sam and Bilbo that the jewel disturbed him as much as it did them, what it had wrought on their dear friends making it an evil thing in their eyes, it's spell broken as it disappeared from sight, no one moving for a few moments, so shocked were they by the sight of it, and by the hands it was in.

Fili, Kili, and Ori suddenly realized what Sam and Bilbo had done the night before, none of them quite believing that they had done it, but, after a few moments of shock, they realized that it had been the right thing to do, possibly the only thing to do, that might prevent a war from breaking out among the peoples of Esgaroth, Mirkwood, and the Iron Hills, because they all knew Thorin would give almost anything to have that stone, and that was all they needed him to do, to give Bard and Thranduil what they wanted.

Thorin was rigid for a few moments, before he turned towards Bilbo, who had been standing next to Fili, his eyes alight with rage, his angry visage instantly scaring the hobbit and his nephew, who moved to stand in front of Bilbo, to protect him from the rage of his uncle, from what he knew this incensed shell of Thorin might do, only to be pushed aside and caught by Kili, Thorin taking hold of the collar of Bilbo's shirt, lifting him up, the hobbit dangling from his grip, too scared to do anything, as Thorin said, spittle flying everywhere, no trace of the Thorin Bilbo knew anywhere to be seen," You! You did this! You hid the Arkenstone from me! You stole it from me! The burglar has stolen from us! Has given our enemies our most precious of treasures! The Arkentstone! Betrayer! Thief!"

The madman that Thorin Oakenshield had become moved to hold Bilbo above the ground, over the side of the battlements, drawing gasps from Sam, Fili, Kili, Ori, Gandalf, Bard, and Thranduil, Dain having no sympathy for the traitor, the rest of the Company regaining themselves enough to stand in shock of what Thorin might do to their hobbit, their eyes wide, their friend, Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit they had forgotten until he dangled in the air above the earth he loved so much, nothing below him but certain death, the wind whipping his hair around his face as his eyes grew wide with fear, and guilt, seeing the betrayal in Thorin's eyes, that hurting the poor hobbit more than anything else, because he knew he had hurt his friend, he knew how much this betrayal must hurt Thorin, regardless of the fact that it was for his own good," You treasonous little wretch! You will pay for your betrayal of the dwarves of Erebor! For betraying me!" Thorin leaned further over the side of the battlements, his friends stuck to their spots in their shock, unwilling and unable to move because of what might happen if they try to interfere, Gandalf blocking Bard and Thranduil from moving," And you will pay with your miserable life!"

Just as everyone was about to move to try and save Bilbo, to stop Thorin from dropping him, Sam spoke," If you should be punishing anyone, Thorin, it should be me. I am the guilty one, not Bilbo! I was the one who told Bilbo to keep the Arkenstone from you! I am the one who had the idea to give Thranduil and Bard the Arkenstone! This is all my doing! Not his!"

Thorin was a blur as he turned from the battlements, flinging Bilbo to the ground, Ori running to him, even as they both saw Thorin draw his sword, and slowly begin to advance on Sam, who began to back up, towards the side of the battlements, everyone truly at a loss of what to do now, Sam continuing to speak," Thorin, I did all of this to protect you, to protect the Company! I did all of this because I was afraid for you, afraid that you would fall prey, that all of you would fall prey to the dragon sickness! I couldn't bear the thought of watching you all suffer that way Thorin, please, I care about you all too much to allow such a thing to happen to you! Thorin! Please! Listen to me!"

But Thorin wasn't listening, he was just approaching her, slowly, his sword brandished in front of him, as Sam's back hit the wall of the battlements, she switched tactics, hoping beyond hope that Thorin would listen to her, see sense, anything but continue to heed the madness that ruled him now," Thorin, please, negotiating with Thranduil and Bard is the only way to prevent a war! And the only way to get you to negotiate was to give them the Arkenstone! Thorin, please, don't you see?! The treasure is not worth a war, it will never be worth a war! Not with the people who should be your allies! Bard is already our ally, Thorin, don't you remember how he helped us, even when it put him and his family in danger? Thorin, please remember, please! This isn't you, Thorin! Please, please!"

Thorin had his sword pressed to her throat now, she could feel the tip piercing the skin of her throat, a rivulet of blood going down her neck as she leaned back, over the side of the battlements, as far as she could, but Thorin still pressed forward, keeping the tip at her throat, and Sam began to cry, tears running down her face.

Sam did not want to die this way, by the hand of her friend, her king, the dwarf she would have followed anywhere but into madness and ruin, she knew if he killed her now he would never forgive himself, no one would ever forgive him, his nephews and Ori would never forgive him, once they were all back to normal, and she didn't want him to suffer that way, didn't want him to have to live for the rest of his life with that guilt, and she did not want to die knowing that Thorin, Fili, and Kili, would be joining her soon, so she tried one last tactic, one last time, to save her king, her heart aching as she spoke, her voice almost reduced to a whisper," Thorin, please, think about this. The treasure is not worth a war, it is not worth all of the lives that will be lost, it is not worth what you stand to lose. Think of Fili and Kili, think of the Company. You could lose them all, a war could cost all of their lives, and all of the gold in all of the world would not be enough to bring them back. You could lose Fili and Kili, Thorin, you could lose them forever, and for what? For a cold pile of gold? Gold that will never be worth as much as their lives? As much as those two goofballs I know you love more than anything? Is it worth the grief you could cause Dis? Is is worth leaving her without her children, or her brother? All alone in the world? Are you willing to sacrifice everyone you love for that worthless treasure?"

Sam could see a spark in those blue eyes she recognized, a terribly faint one, but it meant there was still hope for him, for her to get through to him, even if it wasn't right now, even if it wasn't until later, but there was hope, even as Thorin continued to pin her with his sword halfway off the battlement wall, so she continued, even more quietly that she had before," Thorin, are you willing to watch Fili and Kili die for that treasure? Are you willing to watch us all die for the sake of some gold? Are you willing to live with the guilt? With the loss? With the emptiness that will result if Fili and Kili do die? How dark will your life become without those two to bring it light? Will you even be able to smile if they die? Thorin, is it really worth it to send your nephews to their deaths, now that our quest is finally done, to defend what you hoped would give them better lives?"

Her words had paused Thorin in his advance, had made him think about just what it was he was doing, what he might lose, and that pause was enough for Kili to grab his uncle and pull him away from Sam, both of them falling to the floor as Sam slid down the wall, her adrenaline going bonkers, her hand going to her throat to stem the flow of blood coming from the minor wound Thorin had inflicted with his sword, tears rolling down her face, terrified of what had almost happened, the shock and fear of it all apparent in the eyes of the Company, all of them aware, in those few moments, the dragon sickness receding slightly in light of what Thorin had almost done, and they were relieved, everyone on the battlements, even Thranduil, were relieved she was still alive.

Thorin stood up from where he had fallen with Kili, glaring down at his nephew, but not with half of the intensity he would have earlier, Thorin was still lost to the dragon sickness, but not as deeply as he had been earlier, and that was enough, for now, though it did nothing to quell his anger, and the betrayal he felt at Sam and Bilbo's actions," You are both hereby banished from Erebor and considered traitors. Furthermore, you contracts are now considered null and void, and you have forfeited any and all right to any portion of the treasure you would have otherwise received."

Sam gasped, beginning to cry harder as Bilbo came to her, to make sure she was alright, the two huddled together under the force of the rage that was still coursing through Thorin. She had known this would happen if everything went wrong, she had known she would lose her friends, her home, this way, by banishment, if not by death, and it hurt, it hurt even more when Thorin continued, looked her in the eye, seeing how much she was hurting, and still said," Consider my offer to allow you to live in Erebor rescinded."

Sam's heart broke.

She had just lost everything, she had just lost everyone she loved to save everyone she loved, and, as much as she knew it needed to be done, as much as she knew she would never regret it, because she loved them all too much to let them die, to not try to change their fates, the look in Thorin's eyes, so hateful and cruel and manic, so different from the one he had in the depths of Mirkwood, the look that had been warm and comforting and protective, was just a white hot dagger in her heart, and it hurt, it hurt so much she was barely able to breathe, and all she could do was crumble under the weight of his gaze, curling around Bilbo, the hobbit holding her to him, both of them cowering, until Thorin turned away.

Sam could only cry harder as Bilbo finally pulled her to her feet, pulling her towards Gandalf and Bard, Fili, Kili, and Ori looking on helplessly, their hearts breaking, looking lost and entirely too young, their faces full of horror and loss, their eyes shining with unshed tears, knowing they could do nothing, but still wanting to do something, because they didn't want to lose Sam and Bilbo, they didn't want them to be banished, they didn't want to face the fact this might be the last time any of them saw each other, should they still go to war, should Thorin never see reason again, the rest of the Company still just staring, far from free of the dragon sickness, but still aware of what was going on, looking horrified at what had almost happened, and saddened at the thought of Sam never living in Erebor and Bilbo being banished from it's halls, despite the slight anger in their eyes, the betrayal they felt at what they had done, after everything they had been through together.

Sam and Bilbo stood beside Bard and Gandalf as Thorin began to speak again," As for these negotiations, I will not-"

"You do not have time to negotiate, for war is upon you. An army of orcs and goblins are coming to the Lonely Mountain."

Sam was numb to her surroundings as Gandalf began to inform everyone of the danger that was coming, thinking about everything she had just lost and everything she might still lose, haunted by the memories of her nightmares, of what might yet come to pass.

It was only as Bilbo and Gandalf began to lead her away, Gandalf tying a bandage around her neck to staunch the still bleeding wound, that Sam locked eyes with Kili, who was standing beside his brother, the Company still standing on the battlements as everyone else walked away, to plan for the battle that would soon commence, rousing her from her shocked state, his eyes reminding her why she was doing all of this, why she was willing to suffer for them, why she was willing to die for them, if need be, and she tried to convey to Kili that she was alright, that they would all get though this, that everything would be alright in the end, even if she never stepped foot in Erebor again, even as his eyes betrayed his worry and fear for her and Bilbo, how shocked and terrified he was by what Thorin had almost done, by how they had almost died, how they had almost lost their lass and their hobbit, in one fell swoop, because of his uncle's madness.

Sam could tell that Kili wanted to go to her, and she wanted to go to him, but they couldn't, not now, so she mouthed what she needed him to do again, reminding Kili of his promise and why she was asking it of him, and told him everything would be alright, Kili only able to nod, though he would have preferred to run to her and make sure she was alright, mouthing to her that he would do it, not matter what, he would do as she asked, and he also told her to take care of herself and Bilbo, to be careful in the battle, to survive, and come back to them when it was all over, both of them hoping that the battle would help bring Thorin back to them.

Sam and Kili kept eye contact as long as they could, taking comfort and strength from one another's gaze, before the cold stone of Erebor blocked them from each other's sight.

/Calling Out, Father Oh!/

Hours after the commotion on the battlements of Erebor, Sam, who now had a proper bandage on her neck, Bilbo, and Gandalf sat in a tent, listening to Bard, Dain, and Thranduil argue about troop placement, strategies, and how soldiers would be used, none of them willing to separate their own soldiers from each other, because they did not trust each other, and they were not willing to leave the lives of their kin in another's hands, despite the fact that might be what saves them all.

Bilbo, Sam, and Gandalf could only shake their heads at the arguing, at the time they were wasting over such petty things, when they should be getting ready for what was coming.

Sam had endured just about enough of the stupidity and stubbornness of kings for one day.

"The best way to ensure the most people live is to combine all of your armies and use the talents of your soldiers to augment those of the other soldiers and lessen any weaknesses that your individual forces may have so that we are an overall stronger, and more skilled, force."

The three leaders stopped talking and turned to Sam, Bard the only one that seemed even slightly inclined to listen to her, Dain unwilling to trust her for what she had done to Thorin, and Thranduil still unsure of what to make of her, even after all of the time he had spent interrogating her, the elf deciding he wanted to know why she was so different now.

"The silent one speaks."

Sam glared at Thranduil, the outright hate and anger in her eyes slightly shocking the elven king, Gandalf left confused, as he did not know what had happened in Mirkwood, Bard, suddenly remembering one of the reasons he had aided the Company in the first place, pointed his own glare at the elven king, Dain just glaring at them all in general, Gandalf left even more confused by Bilbo and Bard's glares at the elf.

"Maybe I would have been less silent if I had not been tortured and starved in your god forsaken dungeons, if you had not forsaken my standing as an elf friend for the sake of your hate for Thorin, maybe then I might have done more than kneel at your feet, barely coherent due to pain and lack of food, but you did not care for any of that, you cared only for what none of us would provide, regardless of what you did. Cruelty rarely breeds anything but silence, King Thranduil."

Legolas and Tauriel, who had been standing behind their king in the tent, went rigid at the woman's accusations, neither knowing what she was talking about, terrified by the prospect that it might be true, considering all they had seen of her when she had been in Mirkwood, how she had seemed to become worse and worse as the weeks went by, only to suddenly act like someone completely different as soon as she left the dungeons, but then Tauriel's eyes widened and she silently left the tent, no one noticing in the aftermath of Sam's statement.

Gandalf was wearing a thunderous expression, knowing that Sam would never lie about such things, outraged at her treatment at the hands of the elves of Mirkwood, as Dain's scowl only darkened, his hate of elves increasing, despite the fact that it had been the traitor so abused.

Bard's scowl deepened as he continued to watch Sam and Thranduil, though he did not see the coldness in the eyes of the elf that he had expected, instead seeing a degree of mortification, surprising the man, which made him wonder if everything was as it seemed.

Thranduil himself was shocked, his eyes slightly wider than normal, the elven king, for once, unsure what to say, not having any idea what Sam was talking about, as he would never order one of his prisoners be tortured, or starved, especially if they were an elf friend, in which case they wouldn't be a prisoner to begin with.

The king knew not else to say but to defend himself, after a few moments of silence in the tent," I did not order anyone to be tortured or starved, young lady, and I would certainly never do so to an elf friend, as you claim to be."

Thranduil wracked his memories for any indication that any of what Sam had said was true and was horrified to find that, now that he thought about it, she had seemed to be in pain, and to become increasingly thinner, as the weeks had gone on, but he had remained blind to it, so focused was he on determining Oakenshield's plan that he had not noticed the wrongs being done this young woman when she had been in his care, his loathing and hate for Thorin Oakenshield making him only see another of his companions being stubborn and useless to him, instead of seeing the truth.

Thranduil was instantly regretful of what had transpired, what had happened to this young human woman within his kingdom, whether or not she truly was an elf friend, it should never have happened, and those who had done her so wrong would pay the price.

The elven king was pulled out of his contrite thoughts by Sam's incredulous and angry voice, unable to believe Thranduil would outright deny what he had done, what he had ordered those two pointy eared bastards to do to her, to deny what she had suffered through, emotionally, mentally, and physically, even though she knew it was likely wise, for him at least, in a tent full of current allies, to deny any such acts, as it would reflect badly on him and make them less likely to trust the elven windbag," Do not play dumb with me, King Thranduil, two of the group that first captured us, the ones you assigned to be my guards, began to do me injury as soon as I was in their grasp, and it only got worse as time went on, no doubt because you were frustrated with my disobedience and unwillingness to provide you with information, to betray my friends," Sam was seething now, almost hissing at the king, the others in the tent more that understanding of her outrage, though Bard, Thranduil, and Dain were surprised by how scary she looked, her eyes narrowed and filled with fire, a deep and fierce scowl on her face, her anger pushing her on," I'm sure the one of them who yanked my pendant from around my neck, the sapphire and mithril pendant that named me an elf friend called Lethril by Lord Elrond, told you I had stolen it, because no ally of dwarves could possibly be an elf friend, and you felt it prudent to punish me for my perceived crime."

It was at this point that Sam realized that Thranduil looked genuinely shocked, the wide eyes of the elf looking utterly ridiculous on the normally placid and proud countenance, his eyes betraying some feelings of regret, especially after she mentioned her pendant, who had given it to her, and her elven name, all indicating to the king that she was, indeed, telling the truth, for that was indeed what an elf friend pendant would look like, especially if it had runes on it with Lethril written in them, though he had no idea why Lord Elrond would call her listener.

The expression on the resident head elf's face had Sam terribly confused, as it was not one of indignation or righteous anger, but one of mortification, and she could only guess what it was that mortified him.

Sam snuck a quick look at Bilbo and Gandalf, finding the two equally surprised by this development, Sam searching the elf's face for a moment, and her face went slack, most of the fire leaving her eyes as she realized something, her posture going from angry and slightly threatening to relaxed and utterly shocked," You really didn't know, did you? That I was an elf friend or being tortured or starved?"

Thranduil nodded, Legolas looking ashamed that he had not realized what was going on, that he had not prevented it, that he had not realized two of his own had been torturing this young woman, right under he and his father's nose.

Legolas was so engrossed in his thoughts, guilt, and shock that he still had not noticed that Tauriel had left the tent, otherwise he might have noticed that a voice yelling in the distance belonged to her, and it was an angry voice, one accompanied by two other voices that were protesting, one apologetic, the other just as angry as the fire haired she-elf.

Dain, Bard, Bilbo, and Gandalf were now just as shocked and confused by this discovery as Sam was, but only the three Sam called friend were still outraged at her treatment, Dain completely unmoved by the knowledge of Sam's suffering, though he wondered at her words about being unwilling to betray Thorin while being tortured and imprisoned, but willing to do so in giving the Arkenstone to Thranduil and Bard, something that made Dain think there was more to the human, and the hobbit, for that matter, than he had initially thought, though he had no idea what, but would find out later, if given the opportunity.

While Dain was mulling over the new development with the assumed traitors of Erebor, he found himself rather pleased by the knowledge that the ever proud Thranduil had not known the goings on in his own kingdom, and had been so duped by some of his own subjects, he nor his heir, his son, ever having even caught wind of it until an outsider saw fit to accuse and berate them for what they had done, the looks on their faces priceless in the eyes of the dwarven lord, so much for the powerful and capable elven king, and his brat.

"Then why did they do it?"

"My King! Young Miss!"

Everyone in the tent turned toward the sound of Tauriel's angry voice, coming from outside of the tent, the confusion on their faces as a result of the revelations about Sam's experience in Mirkwood augmented by curiosity, as no one had even noticed the elf captain leave, and were wondering why she was yelling at them from outside the tent, all of them eager to find out the reason for her anger, as they had a feeling it had something to do with the torturers from Mirkwood.

Legolas quickly pulled the tent flaps aside, everyone moving to exit the tent, especially Sam and Thranduil, as they had been the ones addressed, the now open flaps revealing Tauriel with Authast and Asgaranwar, her hands on the backs of their necks, pushing the duo to bow as they knelt in the dirt, their hands tied behind their backs, Authast obviously outraged while Asgaranwar just looked a little freaked out, and slightly regretful.

Tauriel took her hand off of the back of Asgaranwar's neck for a moment, as he was obviously the more cooperative of the two, and fished something out of her pocket, a glare more than enough to pin the cowering elf to his spot, not that he looked inclined to escape anyway, not when his king was standing just outside of the tent, watching them, Authast instantly stilling and going quiet beside his coconspirator as Thranduil approached.

Tauriel bowed to her king, Thranduil surveying her captives with cold eyes, Legolas' own eyes flashing with anger as he stood behind his father, both understanding without explanation that these were the ones responsible for what had been done to the young woman in his dungeons, the ones who had secretly tortured and starved her without giving themselves away, the two who had forsaken the sacred title of elf friend given to the young woman, for reasons unknown to Thranduil, or Legolas, for he had no idea what sort of reasoning, what kind of thoughts, would have justified such an act in their minds, only that there was nothing, in Thranduil's own mind, that could justify such an act, and, thus, retribution was necessary, for the elf friend so wronged needed to be appeased, needed to be compensated for all she had suffered at the hands of these two elves Thranduil was ashamed to say came from Mirkwood, the elven king realizing these had been the very two who had brought her into his thrown room the day of the Company's capture, the ones he had, indeed, assigned to be her guards.

Thranduil, Legolas, and Tauriel were sickened by the sight of Authast and Asgaranwar, the two having fallen so far, so fast, redemption something that would almost be impossible for them to achieve considering the crimes they had committed in the eyes of their fellows, if they even survived the battle to come.

Tauriel silently bowed her head to Thranduil, showing him what she held in her hand, the king's eyes widening at the sight of a pendant, one that fit the description given by Sam perfectly, Thranduil clearly able to read the runes that named her Lethril, the young woman's story confirmed, Thranduil nodded at Tauriel, knowing what she planned to do.

The she-elf turned to Sam, who was standing to the side of Thranduil, just behind the elven king, the rest of the former occupants of the tent standing just behind her, watching silently, curious as to what would happen now.

Tauriel bowed her head to Sam as she had done Thranduil, though she locked eyes with the young human, and she began to speak," My lady, is this yours?"

Tauriel held out the pendant, Sam, nodding her head, reached out and took the pendant, quickly securing it back around her neck, where it belonged, feeling a light trill as it's magic blanketed her, once again, the magic making her more relaxed than she had been.

Tauriel kept eye contact with Sam as she asked," What is your name, my lady?"

Sam realized this was her opportunity to formally introduce herself as an elf friend to the elves, so she bowed her head to Tauriel, did the same to Legolas, both of the two returning the gesture, even as Authast visibly prickled at everything that was going on, Asgaranwar slowly realizing just how wrong they had been, just what they had done, and then Sam turned to Thranduil.

Sam locked eyes with Thranduil, noticing how they lacked their previous frigidness, the ice blue orbs seeming to have gained some warmth in light of all that had transpired, all that had happened to her that never should have, before Sam did a sweeping bow to the elven king, looking slightly ridiculous given that she was still wearing her purloined cloak with the same clothes she had been wearing when they were captured in Mirkwood, looking entirely worn out and bedraggled, but still managing to look respectful, somewhat regal, as she was taking all of these revelations rather well, and sincere as she finally, properly, introduced herself to Thranduil," I am Samantha Clen, called elf friend by Lord Elrond of Rivendell and named Lethril by the same. It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you, King Thranduil of Mirkwood."

Gandalf, Bilbo, Bard, and Dain, were all impressed by her introduction, as it was entirely appropriate and polite, in spite of all that had transpired, her friends proud of the demonstration of her fortitude and ability to adapt, to be pragmatic in difficult and delicate situations.

Thranduil smiled, actually smiled, at her introduction, now understanding why she had been named listener, grateful that she was taking this all so well, and that she did not seem to blame him for all that had happened, that she so readily accepted that he was not the guilty party, that she seemed, in spite of everything, alright, and her grace in light of the wrongs done her by himself and his people would be rewarded, in addition to what needed to be done in recompense for all that she had suffered unjustly.

Thranduil bowed to Sam, surprising all but Legolas, Tauriel, and Gandalf, the others watching unable to believe that the proud elven king would bow to anyone, let alone a human, Authast becoming more angry as Asgaranwar bowed his head more deeply, trying to show he was regretful of what he had done, now that he understood.

Everyone was even more surprised by Thranduil's own reply to Sam's introduction," It is as much of an honor and a pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Lethril. And may I offer my most sincere and deepest apologies and regrets for all that has transpired, and ask your forgiveness for the wrongs done you, my Lady. I will do everything in my power to make right what has gone so terribly, terribly wrong."

Sam smiled softly at the king, her ire no longer directed at him, and bowed her head slightly as she said," All is forgiven, King Thranduil, for those not at fault need not ask such of me."

Thranduil, Legolas, and Tauriel gave relieved smiles at her words, glad that she forgave them, no matter how responsible they all felt for what had transpired, her forgiveness meaning it would likely be easier for them to make it up to her, to get to know her, for them all to truly earn that forgiveness.

Asgaranwar only bowed his head more, getting close to being doubled over completely, Authast in shock of all that had just happened, but still very angry.

Bard and Dain were in shock of how easily she dismissed the anger and contempt for the elven king she had shown not minutes earlier, unable to comprehend how she had so easily accepted that none of this was his fault, as least directly, and that she did not blame him, that she forgave and moved on so easily, Sam's actions only elevating her in their eyes, Dain now very intrigued by the young woman, beginning to see why it was his cousin had brought her along on the quest to begin with, his desire to know the justification for her actions only increasing.

Bilbo and Gandalf could only beam at Sam, proud of her, and completely unsurprised by her words, knowing her to be a forgiving soul as they did.

Thranduil's eyes went cold as ice again as his gaze slid from Sam to the two elves Tauriel was still forcing to kneel," Now, my Lady Lethril, am I to understand by Captain Tauriel's retrieval of these two that they are, in fact, the ones who did you wrong?"

It was at this point that Sam stood beside Thranduil and truly looked at her former tormenters, her eyes steely and narrowed, a fierce glare on her face, her mouth set in a grim line, Sam's ire and anger coming back in full force, though she reigned it in, not wanting to make a scene, or at least more of one than they already were.

Tauriel was glad to see that, unlike many others she had seen who confronted their torturers, Sam did not shrink away from Authast and Asgaranwar, instead seeming to stand taller, straightening her shoulders, her stance defiant and powerful, as she knew she had no reason to fear the two now, not if they wanted to survive the wrath of their king.

"Indeed, King Thranduil, they are. Authast," Sam pointed to the red headed elf, the shorter of the two, who only sneered up at her, earning him a jerk from Tauriel, and then she pointed to the auburn haired one, who only cringed, Tauriel's hand tightening on the back of his neck slightly," and Asgaranwar are their names, if I am not mistaken."

"Indeed they are." Thranduil surveyed the two coldly and shrewdly, coming to the conclusion that Authast was the one who had likely instigated this mess, as he was the one who was obviously angry, while Asgaranwar seemed more afraid and contrite.

Everyone watching was glaring at the two elves, while all of those wandering about the tent, which was in Bard's camp, were completely confused by what was happening, but were smart enough not to stand around and watch, or eavesdrop.

"My Lady, what would you have their punishment be, as, given that you were the one so wronged by these two, their fates are in your hands."

Authast could keep quiet no longer," My king, please, reconsider! This dwarven coconspirator could not possibly be an elf friend, does in no way deserve-"

"Silence!"

Authast immediately shut up at his king's thunderous dismissal, Thranduil's face contorted in rage, his eyes ablaze, Legolas and Tauriel, who shoved the offending elf's face toward the ground, to make him show the respect he owed Sam and was due his king, disgusted by his behavior and disregard for what he should have held sacred, in a similar state, none of them at all sympathetic or willing to listen to him, the words he had said already enough to damn him in their eyes, his reasons for treating Sam so more than clear, and they were entirely unjustified, entirely ignorant and prejudiced reasons, ones that only served to show how far he had fallen.

Bilbo, Gandalf, Bard, and Dain only glared more at the two elves, though none said anything, having realized that the elven king would likely handle this satisfactorily, and Sam would be appeased, their disgust at Authast's presumptions more than apparent, Dain gravely insulted and outraged by his words.

"You will not speak in such a manner to me, or the Lady, again. You owe her much, Authast, for all you have done wrong by her, least of them all being respect, considering your fate is in her hands."

Thranduil's gaze slid back to Sam, who was still looking at the two, having barely twitched at Authast's outburst, accustomed to his animosity towards her as she was, a considering look on her face.

"I think, King Thranduil," all eyes were trained on Sam, even as her eyes remained on Authast and Asgaranwar," that, in light of the battle that is to come, it would be best to allow these two to do their part in protecting all of our lives, and give them the opportunity to redeem themselves, before truly passing judgement, especially given the fact that there is the possibility that none of us will survive this battle."

Everyone was staring at Sam, which she had expected, given she had, temporarily, spared the duo, despite her own obvious loathing for them, and she was willing to bet none of those watching had ever met someone who gave up a chance for immediate revenge, but, the fact of the matter was, she didn't want to hurt them, she didn't want to fall to their level, she didn't want to be responsible for determining their fate, because she just couldn't do it, no matter how much she hated them for what they had done for her, Sam could not find the animosity in herself needed to be able to do them harm, and she didn't want to be able to do it, because she did not want to become someone who did things like that, because that wasn't the kind of person she wanted to be, because Sam had never and would never want that much influence over a person's life, not when she had not earned the right to make such decisions, and when she felt that she could not met out fair punishment because she was biased against the two, so she would simply abstain and, if they survived the battle, ask Thranduil to determine an appropriate punishment, because she didn't know what would be considered an appropriate punishment for their crimes by elven standards anyway.

Authast and Asgaranwar were stunned, neither having expected any mercy from the woman whom they had shown no mercy to, Asgaranwar now feeling incredibly guilty while Authast could only see a ploy to fool his king, still believing Sam could never have been an elf friend, and that she was manipulating them all, but he said nothing, recognizing a losing battle when he saw one.

Thranduil, Legolas, and Tauriel were equally stunned, understanding why Lord Elrond had named her elf friend, for she seemed more wise and forgiving, as she was giving them a chance for redemption, than her race or age would usually indicate, the logic of her statement sound, her primary concern of keeping them all alive in the coming battle reminding them of what she had said earlier, making them all far more inclined to listen to her than they were earlier, the fact that, despite her obvious distaste for Authast and Asgaranwar, she was not letting her emotions color her decisions.

Sam had done well by her Company, had not led them astray with her actions and, likely, her advice, Thranduil, Legolas, and Tauriel all having faith that she would now lend the same level headedness that had pushed her to try and use the Arkenstone as a bargaining chip, that had pushed her to negotiate with Bard, and that had no doubt helped keep herself and all of her friends safe, to their strategizing for the upcoming battle.

The three elves suddenly understood why the dwarves had made her a member of their Company, now all curious as to how the dwarves had earned the affection and loyalty of this young woman, the obvious esteem they had in Sam's eyes elevating the dwarves in the eyes of the elves, for they did not believe one such as she would give such loyalty and affection to ones who had not earned it, all of them realizing they may have judged the dwarves of Erebor more harshly than they had deserved, and would endeavor to be more fair to them, if only for Sam's sake, especially considering it would like go a long way in making up their mistakes to the young woman, once all was said and done, with the battle hopefully being the catalyst needed to bring Thorin and his Company out of their madness.

Bilbo and Gandalf were momentarily stunned by Sam's declaration, but quickly regained themselves, both only becoming more proud of their lass and what kind of person she was, hoping, if she could talk sense into Thorin, she would be able to make these kings see sense, and they would all survive, and survive to see Authast and Asgaranwar properly punished.

Dain was stunned by Sam, was stunned by how she had given up a chance for revenge when she had been so egregiously wronged, when she had every right, and opportunity, to punish them as she chose, but did not, more concerned with the usefulness of her tormenters as soldiers than anything else, because she seemed much more concerned with saving lives than anything else.

Dain thought he was beginning to see what kind of person she was, what kind of person the hobbit, Bilbo, was, if the pride and affection in his eyes as he beamed at Sam was any indication, he thought he was beginning to see what his cousin had seen in these two when he decided to bring them along on his quest, and he thought he was beginning to understand their motivation to give the Arkenstone to Thranduil and Bard, and, if he was right, he could not find fault with their reasoning, even if he could never condone their methods.

Bard was absolutely dumbstruck by what Sam had decided to do, his memory of her on the shore of the Long Lake, waterlogged, exhausted, in pain, and miserable as she had been, the fire and indignation in her eyes when she had described what she and her Company had endured at the hands of of the elves of Mirkwood at the forefront of his mind, Bard did not understand how she could let go of what had happened to her and those she held most dear so easily, and could not help but ask from his position behind her," Miss Sam, how can you just leave it at that? How can you just let them go off to fight, and forgive so easily, considering everything you and the Company went through, when you are perfectly justified in punishing them, somehow, someway? An eye for an eye as it were."

"Because, Bard, if everyone took an eye for an eye then the whole world would be blind by now, and, besides, we have better things to worry about than those two."

They all nodded at the truth in Sam's statement, unable to find a reason to disagree, so everyone began to make to go back inside of the tent where they had been planning their strategy, in much more congenial moods than they had been originally.

Thranduil gave a single nod to Tauriel, and the fire haired she-elf took Authast and Asgaranwar away.

As Dain watched the two elves be taken away by the elf captain, he finally decided to see if the conclusions he had come to about Sam were true.

"Taking everything that has just occurred, as well as everything you have said and done, into account, I cannot honestly say you seem to me like someone who would betray her king, so why did you?"

Sam turned to look at the Lord of the Iron Hills, to look at Dain, to look at the dwarf who reminded her of Thorin in so many ways, so many ways it made her heart ache, and she studied him, trying to discern the reason he was asking her, why he cared now, when he so obviously hadn't up on the battlements, but all she found in his eyes, that were a terribly familiar shade of blue, was a sincere curiosity, a desire to understand, and a degree of sympathy, which surprised her, but, considering how his expression hadn't exactly been happy at the sight of the person Thorin had become in his madness, it was understandable, because he was obviously as bothered by it as much as Sam, Bilbo, Fili, Kili, and Ori had been.

So Sam decided to be perfectly honest, and not a little bold, with her answer," I did it for the same reason that you did not come along on the quest, the same reason you did not aide Thorin, your cousin, in his endeavor to reclaim Erebor," Dain had not been expecting her to say such things, his eyes becoming guarded before he heard what she had to say, and then his eyes softened, because he understood," because I couldn't do it, I couldn't support him in something I thought was folly, in something I thought would only result in his death, and the deaths of the rest of the Company. You could find no reason to justify abandoning your people, or sparing any soldiers, no matter how much you care about Thorin and wanted to help, and go with him, just as Bilbo and I could find no reason to support his decision to go to war, to possibly get himself and everyone else killed, to cost more lives than that treasure is worth, than it will ever be worth. Bilbo and I knew we would never be able to get through to Thorin, and, trust me, we tried, and the only thing we could think of, our last resort, to try and prevent a war and bring peace to the region was giving King Thranduil and Bard something that Thorin would give almost anything to have, the Arkenstone. Lord Dain, Bilbo and I did what we did because we wanted to protect Thorin and the Company, not betray them, not hurt them, nothing like that, we just wanted them to be safe and survive and live, live to be able to enjoy Erebor when it is returned to it's former glory, live to see Thorin crowned King Under the Mountain, that's all we wanted, so I don't really think Bilbo and I are traitors," Sam and Bilbo locked eyes and smiled at each other, both knowing they did not regret what they had done, not matter how much it hurt or how much it had backfired, because they had done it for the people they love, and that was the best reason they could ever have," because we did what we thought was right by our king, by our friend, what we thought was best for everyone, what we thought Thorin would have supported if he had been himself, if he could see the way he is acting. We did what we thought our king would have done if he had been in our place, and that was really all we could do, because we had run out of options."

Sam took a fortifying breath as she continued, her eyes becoming a little wet, Dain now understanding her reasoning for what she had done," And it was all worth it, it's worth being banished from Erebor for the rest of our lives if it means they have a better chance of surviving what is coming. I can live the rest of my life in exile so long as it means they all live. I would do almost anything to make sure they all live."

Dain was looking at her with a decidedly fatherly expression on his face now, her and Bilbo's loyalty and affection for the Company having won him over, regardless of what they had done, the significance of her comparison of their actions to his, to a family member of Thorin's, not lost on him, but he was still curious about the depth of her devotion," Even give up your own life?"

Everyone who had been listening stilled, waiting for the answer, though all of them were relatively sure they knew what it would be, and they were right.

"I would give my life for any member of the Company, for Bilbo and Gandalf, for Thorin. I would die to keep them safe, a life for a life, as it were. If one of them lives because I die, it was more than worth it, because, to be perfectly honest, Erebor needs it's king and the king will need his Company, the world needs them more than the Erebor or the king and his Company needs me, so if my life is forfeit for their sakes, I go to my fate willingly, because I love them all too much to do otherwise."

Everyone but Gandalf and Bilbo was stunned by Sam's statement, those two being the only ones who had any idea how deep her devotion to the Company went, even though it saddened them both to know she might die in the coming battle for the sake of the Company, for Thorin, because they both knew she would do whatever she could to protect them, she would face down Azog himself alone if it meant they would all be alright, and they were both afraid that is just what she would have to do to protect Thorin, Fili, and Kili.

It also saddened them to know that Sam did not understand how deep the Company's devotion to her went, how much they needed her, how much they loved her, how lost and hurt they would be, if she did die in the battle, and how much Bilbo and Gandalf knew they would all blame themselves for her death, how great their grief and guilt would be, should she die tomorrow.

"Lord Dain, there is a favor I would ask of you," Dain shook himself from his shock as he nodded at her, wondering what in the world his cousin and his Company had done to earn such devotion from this human woman, what they had done for her to give of herself so selflessly for their sakes, Sam seeking to use his new found sympathy and respect for her to aide Kili in the task she had set for him, hoping the support of Dain would save her family, would save those damn dwarves she loved so much, that she loved enough to die for," I would ask you to please, please, convince Thorin and the rest of the Company to join your host of soldiers before the orc and goblin army gets here, please, because I fear that Thorin will try to charge into their ranks from the gates of Erebor, and, for a group of only thirteen dwarves, no matter who they are or how skilled they may be, that is suicide, especially since they would be too far away from aide should they need it, so, please, Lord Dain, please, try to convince Thorin to leave the mountain, for safety and survival's sake, Fili, Kili, and Ori will all support you in trying to convince him, I know they will, so, please, Lord Dain, please, will you talk to Thorin? Will you try to get him and the others somewhere safe so that their madness does not end up costing them their lives, needlessly, in the coming battle? Please, Lord Dain, will you?"

"Of course I will, Miss Sam. You are right that such a tactic would be suicide, and that their madness would make them all more vulnerable in the coming battle, so, yes, I will try, and I do believe, that with the help of dear Fili and Kili, and the other young lad, Ori, that I will be able to convince them to do so," the dwarf lord bowed his head to Sam, who returned the gesture, a single tear going down her face that Dain gently wiped away as he looked her in the eye," Thank you for reminding me of the current lack of safety of my cousin and his Company's position, I dare not think what might happen should they be allowed to stay in the mountain, in the states they are in, so, thank you, Miss Sam."

Dain looked around at the gathered kings, wizard, hobbit, Tauriel, and Legolas and, sweeping his hand toward the tent, said," Now, please, let us go back to planning for our war against our common enemy, I am sure, now, that we can all come to some kind of agreement that will suit us all."

Bard and Thranduil nodded and went back inside the tent with everyone else, Sam taking a moment to collect herself and send up a little prayer in thanks that everything had gone well and been resolved quickly and relatively simply, and that she now had additional aide for Kili in trying to save the Company, and another ally against Thorin in his madness, and she also prayed that this would all pan out, that they would all be safe, that everyone would survive, that her family would come back to their senses, and that she and Bilbo would not remain banished from Erebor, because Sam really didn't want to live the rest of her life without them, her heart already ached horribly from only being separated from them for a few hours, she did not want to know how bad it would be after hundreds of years.

So Sam went inside the tent, and the strategizing truly began.

Everyone eventually came to the conclusion that Sam was right, and decided to combine their forces, their plan being to divide up their combined army into two parts, one would face the orcs and goblins and wargs head on while the other would come around the back and box them in, allowing them to attack from all sides. All of the archers, whether they be man, elf, or dwarf, would be placed in the most advantageous strategic position, as would all of the other fighters, the units being combined in ways that would play up their strengths and counteract any weaknesses there might be, making them more offensively and defensively sound than they would have otherwise been, their soldiers working together towards the common goal of defeating their enemy and making sure the most people survived as was possible, and they were finally ready for what was coming, with only a few hours to spare before night fall, and they would fight in the morning.

/Prepare as We Will/

Immediately after the war meeting ended, Legolas and Tauriel apologized to Sam for their failure to protect her and see through the lies of their kin and, to try and make up for their mistakes, Legolas sent for the belongings of the Company, arranging for what belonged to the dwarves to be taken to Dain's camp, the retrieval of their weapons and belongings providing another reason for the Company to leave the mountain, while making sure that Sam was returned all of her things, the smile on her face at the return of her swords making Legolas chuckle.

Tauriel decided, after surveying Sam's armor, impressed with the workmanship though she was, that Sam needed something tougher than leather with some steel in it for the coming battle, so she measured Sam and spent the rest of the night altering some elven armor for her to wear on the morrow.

Sam stood in the middle of the tent that Thranduil had provided her, after having spent the better part of two hours talking to and getting to know Legolas and Tauriel, the three becoming fast friends, as they all seemed to share in the same dry sense of humor and had talked about all manner of things, learning about each other and finding they all wanted to get to know each other better, which they all hoped they would be able to do after the battle was over, and Sam was suddenly struck by just how quiet it was in the elven camp, so different from the raucous laughter, singing, and general commotion of her dwarves, the silence bothering her, as the noises of the Company had become comforting to Sam, and she missed them terribly, she even missed their snoring and farting and burping, because then at least it would mean they were all together.

Sam plopped on the cot in the tent, thinking about everything that had happened that day, about how her entire world had been turned upside down, and she was especially thinking about what she had said to Dain, how she had said she was more than willing to die for any member of the Company, which was entirely true, but it made her think about what would actually happen if she died in the Battle of the Five Armies, and what that would mean for her family and everyone else she would never be able to see again, how they would all feel, and what would still need to be done, and she came to a decision.

Sam spent the next several hours writing letters to the individual members of the Company, to Thranduil, Legolas, Tauriel, Bard, Beorn, Radagast, and Lord Elrond, not telling them of all the things she knew would happen, because she had faith the Ring would be destroyed whether she was involved or not, but telling them of all of the things she loved about them, what she didn't want them to forget, that she didn't want them to blame themselves, or Thorin, how she wanted them to enjoy their lives and be happy, and she asked some small favors, such as Thranduil and Bard giving Thorin at least a chance to redeem himself in their eyes and the Company taking care of Thorin, because she knew he would blame himself if she did die, but most of all, she told them all how much she loved them and how lucky she was to have known them and how the last months had been the best of her life, and how she would miss them, and how she wanted them to celebrate her life, not get lost in their grief and mourning, because she wanted them to live, and be happy, and if they couldn't do that for themselves, she wanted them to do it for her.

Sam got a hold of her emotions before exiting her tent, because writing down all of the things she wanted the people she cared about to know if she died hurt and was emotionally exhausting, and she went looking for Bilbo, who she knew was in the camp, somewhere.

Sam found her dear hobbit watching the sun set, the night before the Battle of the Five Armies beginning, and she sat down next to him, enjoying for a moment what might turn out to be her last sunset, before turning to Bilbo, saying," Bilbo, my friend, I have a favor to ask of you."

Bilbo, so much thinner and more tired looking than he had been the day she met him, worn down by the hardships of their quest and everything that had come after, looked up at her, a small smile on his lips as he cocked his head to the side, answering," Of course, Sam, what favor would my favorite human ask of me?"

Sam could only smile at her little friend, her heart warming at his comment, even as her eyes watered with what she was going to ask him to do, knowing he would not participate in the battle," Forgive me for asking this of you, my favorite hobbit, but, should everything go terribly, terribly wrong tomorrow, and we never see each other again, I would ask you to give these," Sam pulled out her package of letters as Bilbo's eyes went wide and watery, spluttering denials, saying that she would live and that everything, everyone, would be alright, but Sam could only shake her head sadly, tears beginning to roll down her face, because this was hard for both of them, hard for both of them to face what might happen, but necessary all the same," to everyone, their names are written on the front. Please, Bilbo, I don't want the last thing the Company remembers of me to be Thorin nearly pushing me off the battlements, so please, please, if I don't survive tomorrow, please give these to them, please. I want their last memories of me to be good, not bad, so please, my dear, dear, sweet Bilbo, please give my letters to them."

"No, no, no, Sam, please, please-"

Sam wrapped the now crying hobbit in her arms as they both sobbed, neither knowing what tomorrow would bring, only knowing that it could be the end for one of them, and all of the dwarves they had come to love so much, so they held each other and provided each other the comfort they might never be able to offer one another again, and stayed with each other until the morn, Bilbo eventually accepting the letters, promising Sam that he would give them to whom they were addressed, should she die, though he did so with a heavy heart and teary eyes, his soul feeling much older than it should, because the idea of the young and vibrant and utterly wonderful young woman going off to what could be her death hurt him terribly, even as he realized the same was true of Fili and Kili and Ori, and he prayed for them all, prayed everyone would survive and that everyone would wake from their madness and that Thorin would forgive them, and they could all remain the Company of Thorin Oakenshield to the end of their days.

Sam was able to bring one last smile to her hobbit's face before she left for Raven Hill at dawn, and she did so by promising they would burn the letters together that night if all went well, because there would be no need for them.

/Watch the Flames Burn Auburn on the Mountainside/

The Battle of the Five Armies looked much as it had in Sam's nightmare, with some big differences.

The dwarves, humans, and elves were all mixed in the ranks of a single army that had successfully boxed in the enemy force.

The Company was integrated into Dain's own personal regiment, the burden of keeping the Company safe and from doing anything foolish no longer dependent on the efforts of Fili, Kili, and Ori alone, more dwarves, some elves and men fighting around them all, keeping anyone from being separated from their portion of the main force, until Azog showed up.

The Company and Dain were keeping Bolg and all of the other orcs busy as Thorin fought Azog, Fili and Kili aiding in his attempts to kill the creature that had murdered so many of their family, but, as Thorin was still ruled by the dragon sickness, for the most part, he was making mistakes, putting Fili and Kili in danger when they sought to protect their uncle, the rest of the Company members so focused on their own fights, still ruled by the dragon sickness as they all were, did not notice that their royals needed help against Azog.

Sam was more than ready to provide the aide needed to keep all of her dwarves alive, to keep Fili, Kili, and Thorin alive.

Sam knocked an arrow to her bow and took aim, letting it fly straight into the neck of Azog the Defiler as he stood poised to bring his mace down upon Thorin, ending his attack and giving Thorin an opening for his own.

Sam knocked another arrow to her bow and aimed for the back of the Pale Orc's skull-

And Sam knew no more.

/Desolation Comes Upon the Sky/


	16. Chapter 16

Standard disclaimers apply.

My longest chapter is now followed by my shortest chapter.

Enjoy!

/Now I See Fire, Inside the Mountain/

It was the morning after the Battle of the Five Armies, the combined might of the armies of the Iron Hills, Esgaroth, and Mirkwood crushing the army of goblins, wargs, and orcs, with only a few, Bolg being among them, escaping back to the holes from whence they came.

There were minimal casualties among the men, elves, and dwarves, among them Authast and Asgaranwar, who were considered forgiven by their king for their sacrifice, but there were plenty of people who were injured, so the healers of the three peoples were more than busy taking care of their injured comrades.

There were some people, however, who had yet to be found dead or alive, Sam among them.

But that did not stop the leaders of the different peoples from arguing with each other in a meeting that had originally been meant to be the beginnings of a series of trade and peace meetings to help ensure the prosperity of their region.

Which had led to the massive argument going on between Thranduil, Bard, Thorin, Balin, and Dain about who was owed what and how much, the dwarves outright rejecting the claims of the elves and men on any treasure from within the mountain, Gandalf and Bilbo trying to mediate the dispute with little success.

Balin and Thorin were all but completely free of the dragon sickness at this point, the battle and death of Azog having given them back their sense and awareness, while it had not quelled the greed the sickness brought on, they were themselves as they argued, for the most part, because it would take something quite dire and shocking to bring them out of the sickness completely.

So they all kept arguing about the terms of the peace treaties and trade agreements, all of them getting progressively angrier and louder as it became obvious that they were not all on the same page.

And then Tauriel came in.

The she-elf entered in the midst of their argument and, with nary a word and a sorrowful look on her face, she placed a set of hole ridden and bloody elven armor on the table, reverently, as if it was some relic of someone or sometime long past.

Gandalf and Bilbo went silent as soon as they saw the armor, knowing exactly what it meant if it had been found without it's wearer, Bilbo's face becoming stricken, producing an anguished sound before burying his face in Gandalf's robes, clinging to him. The old wizard could only stare down at the armor, holding the now grieving hobbit to him, feeling older than he had in an age, because of what had obviously been lost, unable to do anything besides think: It was not supposed to be this way. This is wrong, so, so wrong, in so many ways.

Thranduil and Legolas were the next to notice the armor, but before they could ask Tauriel why she had left it on the table, both of them realized the significance of the armor, recognizing how it had been altered to fit someone much shorter than an elf, but much narrower than a dwarf. The realization left Thranduil and Legolas in shock as their eyes widened, their faces quickly morphing from shock and disbelief to sadness and sorrow, and they fell silent, their grief for who had been lost and how much they still owed them weighing upon both royal elves, both bowing their heads to the armor in respect to the one who had fallen helping to protect them all, who had only wanted to see a peace grow between the dwarves, elves, and men, before staring at the armor with grief filled eyes.

Bard and Dain were the next to go silent, as they realized just whose armor what sitting on the table, destroyed as it was, as they had seen it being fitted and worn before they were all separated into their assigned groups. Bard grieved for the girl who was barely older than his own daughter, for all of the life, love, and laughter she should have had the chance to enjoy, but now would never get the chance to experience. Dain had not wanted her to pay the price she had so adamantly said she would, and he knew that his cousin and his Company would never be the same again, the loss of someone so precious would weigh heavily on them for the rest of their lives, because they would no doubt blame themselves, even if it was not their fault. So Dain grieved for her, for them, for all of those whose lives she had touched and would never touch again, and he grieved for himself, because he would never get the chance to truly know the young woman or how she had wormed herself into the heart of his perpetually icy cousin, Erebor and her dwarves had lost a great ally and friend indeed.

Thorin and Balin were the last ones to go quiet, though neither understood why the others in the tent had done so, though they were slightly dismayed by the sound Bilbo had produced and the way he now cried into the stricken wizard's robes, Thorin and Balin were still angry with Bilbo for giving away the Arkenstone, but they were now able to realize the reasoning behind the actions, and so he was forgiven, both dwarves now worried for their hobbit and why he was crying, and old Gandalf, because they had never seen the wizard look so old, and haunted.

However, Thorin and Balin looked at the destroyed set of elven armor quizzically and with no small amount of annoyance on their faces, as they did not understand it's significance and why it had drawn such reactions from the others in the tent, nor did they understand why Tauriel thought it was alright to so interrupt their meeting with it.

Thorin looked up at Tauriel from his place almost directly across from her at the table, knowing she had been out looking for those yet found among the bodies of the slain, with aide from Beorn, who had come at the end of the battle with the eagles and helped to kill the last of the creatures of darkness.

The bear man able to sniff out those who did not belong among the bodies of the wargs, goblins, and orcs, making Tauriel's job easier, if only in the realm of discovery, not in dealing with what she found, which the set of armor appeared to be.

Tauriel remembered the anguished roar the shape-shifter had sent up to the sky at the discovery of the armor, the familiar scent on it telling him exactly who it belonged to, he had sniffed around it, as far around it as he feasibly could, for some minutes, looking for some trace of evidence that his discovery did not mean what he thought it meant, did not mean that one so kind, accepting, and full of life was gone, but Beorn found no scent leading away from the armor, he found nothing to tell him the blood was not hers, that she yet may live and had only lost it, he smelled nothing but a fait whiff on the wind from the armor itself, so, with a heavy heart, he returned to where Tauriel kneeled beside it, her head bowed and mumbling prayers.

Beorn picked up the armor and cradled it in his arms for a few moments, bowing his head as tears, something he had not shed in a long time, so numb to the world around him in his solitude as he had become, rolled down his face, as he grieved and sent up his own prayers. Beorn had then taken a deep breath and sighed a sigh that only one who had seen too much death and loss in his life could, had looked out into the distance for a few moments, and then had carefully handed the armor to Tauriel, bidding her," Be kind to the dwarves, despite their faults and their mistakes, they loved her deeply, I saw just how much so in my own home, not but a few months ago, and they will all mourn her passing, and be affected by it, more than the rest of us will ever know, so be kind. The blame and guilt they will bear for the rest of their lives is more than any the rest of us could possibly place on their shoulders."

Tauriel had then set out for the tent she knew the leaders were meeting in, to deliver the news, unwilling to go to the rest of the Company and tell them before their king, for he should be the one to deliver such dire news to them, not someone they did not even consider a friend, who could offer them no comfort in their grief.

This was how she now found herself in the tent, the armor lain on the table, all but those who would be hurt most understanding what it meant.

Tauriel saw how Thorin looked confused and, before he got the chance to ask the question on his lips, even though it broke her heart to say the words, to know what it would do to the proud king and his Company, what it would do to them all, mean for them all, she spoke," It is Sam's armor, armor that I altered for her myself, and it was all I found."

Now Balin and Thorin were staring at Tauriel, their faces horror stricken, their blood running cold and all the color draining from their faces as they realized what it meant, what the armor sitting on the table meant for their lass.

Thorin and Balin suddenly understood why Bilbo was crying, why Gandalf looked stricken, why Bard looked grieved, but they thad no idea why the elves and Dain seemed to be upset by this news, but they didn't care, they didn't care because that armor, covered in blood, Sam's blood they realized as their eyes widened in horror, feeling sick to their stomachs, and holes as it was, meant that their lass was dead, their Sam was dead, and it was all their fault.

It was all their fault.

Balin and the others had been so taken by the dragon sickness that they did not see the sense in trying to force a peace between the elves, men, and dwarves, they did not understand why Bilbo and Sam had done such a thing as give the Arkenstone to their enemies, the people they shouldn't have even seen as enemies, and they had still been too wrapped up in their greed and anger and selfishness that they hadn't gone to Sam or Bilbo's aide on the battlements. They had done absolutely nothing to protect them when Thorin had nearly killed them both in his madness, when he had banished them from Erebor, from their very lives, something that none of them would have ever wished, that they knew, they knew, Sam and Bilbo didn't deserve, but they had let it happen anyway, and Sam's death was the end result.

In not protecting Sam and Bilbo on the battlements the Company had abandoned them, abandoned Sam, abandoned her to fight without them at her side, without them to protect their dear lass, they had abandoned her to fight alone in a sea of strangers and enemies, and, without them to watch her back, as they had from the very beginning, as she had them, she had fallen, and the orcs had taken her body for food, leaving only her armor behind.

They had betrayed Sam, and their betrayal had killed her, and they would live with the guilt of that crime for the rest of their lives.

Thorin could only blame himself, because he was the one who had nearly killed her, had banished her when she had only been trying to do right by them all. It was Thorin who had doomed Sam to fight without her friends, her family, at her side, and she had payed the price, they had all payed the price, a price that none of them ever would have been willing to pay, had they known, had Thorin known, and now that girl who had told them stories by the fire, who had sung for them, cooked for them, cared for them, who had loved them with all her heart, who had been willing to die for them, to protect them all, was dead.

If Thorin hadn't allowed himself to be taken by the dragon sickness, if he hadn't succumbed to the same madness that had destroyed his father and grandfather, she would be here now, she would be safe and alive and happy with the Company, but Thorin had banished her, and now Sam was gone, gone, gone, and it was all his fault.

Thorin reached out his hand, his eyes wide with disbelief and a bone deep sorrow, as Balin just continued to stare, though they old dwarf looked ready to collapse from the grief and the shock as tears dripped down his face, a hand pressed to his mouth, and Thorin ran his fingers over the armor, gently, reverently, and tears began to drip from his eyes as the fact Sam was really, truly dead hit him like a ton of bricks, the dwarf retracting his hand as if burnt before he leaned against the table, needing the support, bowed his head, and wept.

What had he done?

The elves, Bard, and Dain, though none quite kew how much Sam had meant to the Company, how much they had loved her, were moved, and decidedly unsurprised, by the emotion overtaking Thorin and Balin, and they all knew the meeting was over for the day, for none of them were any longer in any emotional state to be discussing treaties, so they made to leave.

That was when they head Bilbo's voice, weak and wet though it was," Wait!"

They all turned to regard the hobbit, unsure what he could possibly want them to wait for, Thorin and Balin now sitting on crates in the corner of the tent, their foreheads pressed together as they cried, Thorin's pride no longer caring that the elves and Bard were watching them cry, as it seemed so trivial in light of what had been lost," Sam," Bilbo hiccuped and wiped away some of his tears, a slightly determined look in his eyes, despite his grief, despite the pain brought on by the name of the wonderful young woman he would never see alive again," Sam left letters for all of you, just...just in case..."

Bilbo couldn't finish his sentence, his grief too great, so he simply brought out the bundle of letters Sam had left with him, and began to hand them out to whom they belonged, though they all did so with heavy hearts, none knowing what Sam's last words to them would be, but having a feeling that they would only make them grieve her passing all the more.

After Balin and Thorin had taken their letters from their hobbit with shaking hands, the two dwarves, hobbit, and wizard knew what they would next need to do, and they were not looking forward to it.

/I See Fire, Burning the Trees!/

The Company's tent, because none of them would be separated from the others, no matter the grumbling from some of the dwarves of the Iron Hills about the princes and king bunking with commoners, was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The Company was just staring at Thorin, Balin, Bilbo, and Gandalf, not quite believing what they had just been told, that Sam was dead.

Kili, with his left arm in a sling, had collapsed on the side of Fili's cot, where the elder prince had propped himself up, as his right knee was badly injured, both of them staring at their uncle, who they could see was truly free of the sickness now, in utter shock and disbelief. Kili began to shake his head, tears coming to his eyes as he chanted 'No' under his breath, before burying his face in his brother's neck, beginning to weep, his shoulders shaking with the force of his sobs.

Fili looking utterly lost as he held his brother, tears beginning to roll down his own face as he continued to stare, his head shaking from side to side almost imperceptibly.

The last time either Kili or Fili had seen Sam she had been in tears and terrified, but alive, atop the battlements, before they were forced to leave her, neither quite willing to believe that Sam was dead, that the woman who had grinned with them, laughed with them, trained with them, that had seen them all butt naked and laughed it off, was dead, that the girl who had appreciated them for them and told them to never change because the world needed people like them, was dead.

Bofur was glad, in the very back of his mind, because he was currently in shock and about to break down in tears, that he had been laying down when his king had delivered the news of Sam's apparent death, despite the fact that it was because of a gaping slash in his thigh, because he was sure he would have collapsed.

Bifur, his right arm in a sling, actually had collapsed on the side of Bofur's cot and Bombur, some bandages on his chest, had fallen to his knees beside his brother and cousin, because none of them could believe it, none of them could believe that the life of their dear lass had been snuffed out far too soon because of a battle, a battle they should have fought by her side in. The last completely clear memory any of the Broadbeams had of Sam before they were taken by the dragon sickness was of the night of Smaug's demise, when they were all laughing and singing and happy, so happy, and Sam was happy, she was safe and healthy and alive, so very, very alive, and now she was dead.

The Broadbeams couldn't believe that the girl they had taught to carve was dead, who had made a language so she could speak with Bifur was dead, that had cooked with Bombur and Bilbo was dead, and it was just wrong, so, so wrong, on so many levels that she was dead. They could all feel it in their souls that this was not how it was meant to be, they were all meant to remain the Company of Thorin Oakenshield, not lose the one of them that never should have even been there in the first place, the girl who had only come along with them out of the kindness of her heart, not out of greed or a desire for adventure or fame, but because she had just wanted to help them get their home back.

Sam shouldn't have died, if any of the Company should have died it should have been one of the dwarves, because it had never been her quest, her home to retake, her battle to fight, and she never should have had to face her final battle alone, and it was all because she wanted to help them, to protect them, even from themselves, because she loved them.

Bofur turned his head away from his king as he began to weep, mourning the loss of the girl they had met in Bag End, of the girl who had called him Bofur of the Floppy Hat, who had given Bifur a chance that few would, who could see Bombur as the kind dwarf he was, and they all wept, Bifur doubling over as Bombur pressed his face into his big brother's pillow, the fabric quickly soaking wet with tears.

The brothers Ri all stood in stunned silence, before Ori collapsed back on his cot, his face in his hands, despite the fact that his left arm was in a sling, and he began to cry, because he could see the armor that Tauriel had brought to Thorin and Balin, could see the holes and the blood, and he knew Sam was dead, because there was no way she could have survived such wounds, not without immediate medical aide. Ori was in shock and he didn't know what to think, he only knew he grieved, he mourned Sam, because she had been like a sister to him, one he had looked forward to spending the years with in Erebor, and now she was gone.

Dori and Nori leaned against each other, both covered in an assortment of bandages, arms around one another, as Dori began to cry and Nori just looked stricken, his eyes wide, a few tears trickling out as he stared at the armor. They had failed her, failed her in so many ways, they had failed to save Sam as she had saved Dori and Ori, failed to take care of her like they had said they would at the base of the Carrock. They had failed to take care of the girl who had become so dear to them, they all had, but, in Nori's mind, he had failed her the most, because he hadn't taught her how to fight well enough, he hadn't had enough time to train her so she would be ready for a battle like this, and, because he hadn't been a good enough teacher, Sam had died, killed by multiple stab wounds, alone on the battlefield, suffering and in pain, while they had all been under the influence of the dragon sickness, acting like idiots and unaware of the world at large, she had slipped away, to a place they could not follow, somewhere they could not save her from. It was the thought that he would never see Sam, that girl who had proved his suspicions wrong at every turn, who had earned his trust and his friendship and his loyalty and his love, ever again that broke Nori, and he and Dori collapsed to their knees, their foreheads pressed together and wept, Ori soon joining them, needing the comfort their presences provided.

Dwalin's thoughts were much the same as Nori's as he stumbled towards his brother and pressed their foreheads together, because he was sure that Sam's death could have been prevented, if only they had not fallen to the dragon sickness, if only they had remembered what was really important, what they had wanted the mountain back for, but they hadn't, and Sam had paid the price, a price none of them would have been willing to pay, if only they'd known, if only they hadn't been so lost to the madness. So Balin and Dwalin simply held onto each other, standing there near the entrance to the tent, and grieved, and both of them came to the conclusion they had grieved far too much in their lives, lost too many, lost too much, and they were both so tired, so tired of watching those too young, who had not deserved to die, pass before two old warriors, and their souls felt heavy with their grief, with their loss, but all they could do now was grieve, because Sam, was gone, and you couldn't bring back the dead.

Oin and Gloin simply sat on a cot, side by side, their heads pressed together and cried, they grieved for the lost and the living, because their lives would never be the same, none of their lives would be, and this was not the kind of change either of them had hoped would result from their quest, because it was not for the better, because a young woman who could only be described as a treasure was lost because of a treasure, a treasure that could never hope to be as precious as she had been.

And they all blamed themselves for her death, because they all knew, in their heart of hearts, it was not supposed to be this way, and that it was their fault, all their fault, because Sam should not have died for their sakes, should not have suffered for them as she had, even if she was willing.

If they had not let the treasure take hold of them, the treasure of the Company would still be alive.

Bilbo watched his friends grieve the lost of Sam, their dear, dear lass, and thought of what Sam had said to him, barely a day ago, about wanting their last memories of her to be good, not bad and filled with grief, so, with a heavy sigh and heavy heart, he began to pass out the letters, the last pieces of Sam they had.

/And I See Fire, Hollowing Souls!/

The Company of Thorin Oakenshield, Gandalf the Grey, Bard, King of Dale, Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, Dain, Lord of the Iron Hills, Beorn, Tauriel, and Legolas all stood solemnly in front of the funeral pyre that had been built for Sam, all of their tears cried, but still bearing expressions of incredible grief upon their pale, tired, and pained faces.

They had decided to burn Sam's armor in place of her body, as there was none to put to rest anyway.

As the Company watched the armor burn, they all remembered the girl they had met at Bag End and who she had become to them, and they thought about the letters she had left behind for them, about all she had said, the last words of hers they would ever read.

Sam had told them all how much she loved them, what she loved about them, like the merry twinkle in Bofur's eye or Kili and Fili's laughter or Nori's deviousness, and she had told them not to change and go on with their lives and be happy, and they would try, they would try to honor their lass's last wishes. They would all try to take care of each other and preserve that which made them all so unique and dear to Sam, like Ori's curiosity or Balin's kindness or Gloin's passion, and live happy lives without her, but they had so many regrets, so many things they wished they had been able to tell her, they wished they had been able to do.

Sam had thought to write down what she wanted them to know, what she had wanted to tell them, if she died, and they all wished they had thought to do the same.

But what truly broke their hearts was the fact that she did not blame them, that she forgave them for their mistakes, that she did not hold them responsible for her fate, and that she didn't want them to destroy themselves with guilt over what had happened.

Sam had told them that she loved them all dearly, that she prayed for prosperity for Erebor and happiness for the Company, and she told them they would all see each other again someday, and she would gladly wait for them all so the Company could be reunited in death as it had not been in life, and that, that hurt more than anything else, because she forgave them and she loved them, she loved them so much and they had betrayed her, and they knew, they knew, that, even though Sam had forgiven them, they would never be able to forgive themselves, because this was so wrong, so, so, so wrong.

The world had become so dark, so dark now with Sam dead, and it would never come to light again.

But, as they all stood there watching the last vestiges of Sam burn, mourning and grief stricken, tears cried and still so many yet to cry, numb to the world in the aftermath of the Battle, of the success of their quest, of everything they had experienced and done, and of everything they had lost, the one that never should have been lost, Kili couldn't help but feel he had lost something much more than just a friend, something much more precious.

Kili couldn't help but feel that in losing Sam he had lost the One who would have been his everything, who would have held his heart and loved him until the end of his days, and Kili grieved, he grieved for what they both had lost and what now could never be.

/I See Fire, Blood in the Breeze!/

Hm, no body? No body and only some armor to indicate Sam's dead? Well, that does sound like the makings of another story, now doesn't it? ;)

So be on the look out for the sequel and continuance of this story: A Changing World, A Changing Life


End file.
